Non-compliance of thermal power plants in Delhi-NCR with emission standards contributing significantly to air pollution in the region, according to a new analysis by the Centre for Science and Environment.
NEW DELHI: A study by the Centre for Science and Environment has said that 11 coal-based thermal power plants in the region with poor checks and measures are responsible for at least 8% of the pollution in Delhi-NCR that is already fighting to reduce its high AQI. The CSE's analysis focused on particulate matter, nitrogen oxide and sulphur dioxide emissions from the coal-based thermal power plants (TPPs). The study was based on the environmental status reports of the plants, accessed from the website of the Central Electricity Authority (CEA), a technical arm of the Union ministry of power. The data was from April 2022 to August 2023. The study stated that the intransigence of the power plants, most of which were not complying with the emission control norms, was worsening the ongoing air pollution in Delhi-NCR. "Delhi and NCR cannot meet the clean air benchmark and protect public health if continuous sources of pollution like thermal power plants remain high emitters. These plants have not been able to meet the standards and are at varying stages of progress simply because the target dates for compliance are shifting continually," Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director of research and advocacy at CSE, said. The study pointed out how extending the timelines and relaxing emissions standards had impacted the region's air quality. There are 11 coal-based plants comprising 33 units in a 300-km radius of Delhi-NCR. Another power plant in Goindwal Sahib, Punjab, with two units is just a few kilometres outside the 300-km radius. In 2015, the Union environment ministry had asked the plants to comply with emissions norms for SO2, PM2.5 etc. However, last year the compliance date was extended from December 2024 to December 2026. Given the new deadline, except for four plants - Dadri, Indira Gandhi, Mahatma Gandhi and Panipat - the other seven now have time up to December 2026 to comply with the norms. After the extension, the Panipat plant remains the only plant that is unlikely to meet the emission norms by the compliance deadline. The report said that almost eight years after the notification on emissions norms, and six years after the first deadline, three plants in NCR -- Harduaganj, Panipat and Guru Hargobind TPP (Lehra Mohabbat) - are still reporting very high suspended particulate matter emissions. The study said that four plants - Panipat, Rajiv Gandhi and Yamunanagar in Haryana and Guru Hargobind in Punjab -- have exceeded the NOx norms several times during the reporting period. In the case of sulphur dioxide, the Mahatma Gandhi TPP is the only one in NCR where the emissions are within prescribed limits. The Dadri TPP has sulphur dioxide control equipment in place, but the plant has reported high SO2 readings 86 per cent of the time during the reporting period. The reason could be either the equipment is not in service or inadequate capacity or very high sulphur content in the coal used due to which all the coal power plants in NCR have reported SO2 emissions up to three times the prescribed limits. The report said that minor changes in operational parameters and regular maintenance of electrostatic precipitators can make substantial improvement in compliance of power plants.
The 11 coal-based thermal power plants (TPPs) that fall within a 300-km radius of Delhi are not complying with emission control norms and are likely contributing to the prevailing high pollution levels in the national capital region (NCR), according to a new analysis carried out by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). The analysis, released on Sunday, said that out of the 11 plants, all but one were exceeding the sulphur dioxide (SO2) norms, three were exceeding the particulate matter (PM) norms, four were found exceeding nitrogen oxide (NOx) emission norms and five were not maintaining adequate emissions data in the public domain. The study also said that only two plants were using flue-gas desulfurisation (FGD) — a technology mandated by the Union environment ministry to be installed to reduce SO2 emissions. HT had reported earlier this week how nine of these plants have missed at least four deadlines to switch to this technology, the first of which came in December 2017. Eleven coal-based thermal power plants fall within Delhi’s 300-km radius — Indira Gandhi super thermal power project, Mahatma Gandhi thermal power station (TPS), Panipat TPS, Rajiv Gandhi TPS, Yamuna Nagar TPS (all Haryana), Rajpura thermal power plant (TPP), Talwandi Sabo TPP, Guru Hargobind TPS, Ropar TPS (all Punjab), and Dadri TPS and Harduaganj TPS. Currently, FGD technology is installed only at the Mahatma Gandhi TPS and the Dadri TPS. “Delhi and NCR cannot meet the clean air benchmark and protect public health if the continuous sources of pollution like thermal power plants remain high emitters. These plants have not been able to meet the standards and are at varying stages of progress simply because the target dates for compliance are shifting continually,” said Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy at CSE. The analysis is based on the environmental status reports of these plants accessed from Central Electricity Authority (CEA) website, a technical arm of the Union ministry of power, from April 2022 to August 2023. Data showed that among the 11 plants, three — Harduaganj, Panipat and Guru Hargobind TPPs — were reporting “very high” suspended PM emissions. Meanwhile, NOx norms were not being met by Panipat, Rajiv Gandhi TPP, Yamunanagar TPP and Guru Hargobind TPP. In the case of SO2, Mahatma Gandhi TPP was the only power plant in NCR where the norms were within the prescribed limit. Dadri TPP, the other plant that has FGD in place, still reported SO2 readings above the permissible standard 86% of the time during the reporting period. All TPPs reported SO2 emissions up to three times over the prescribed limits, the report added. “The reason could be either FGDs not in service or of inadequate capacity, or very high sulphur content of the coal being used,” the report said. DD Basu, former director, Central Pollution Control Board said, “SO2 is a reactive gas and converts to sulphates in the form of fine PM2.5 which poses an even greater risk to health and environment. Therefore, control of SO2 is crucial from the perspective of controlling PM emissions.”
Expressing hope of an improvement in the situation arising from air pollution in the national capital, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai declared here on Sunday that the city air has come out of the ‘severe’ category and with the wind speed and could make things better as predicted. With the increase in wind speed and if the light rain takes place as predicted, the air quality will improve in the coming days, the minister said while speaking to a news agency over Delhi’s air pollution situation. He said there was an increase in the pollution levels during the past two to three days, which was not due to the stubble burning incidents that have reportedly reduced to a handful, and, further pointed towards the local sources responsible for contributing towards the situation, especially biomass burning. He further said that the pollution was coming towards Delhi from NCR regions at present. Rai called for strict monitoring of the implementation of Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) stage- III in the NCR region the way it has been enforced in Delhi. Highlighting the possibility of changes in weather, he said it is expected that the same will help improve the air pollution situation. Meanwhile, the minister also said that anti- pollution plans are being strictly implemented in Delhi under the GRAP stage- III in view of curbing local sources of pollution. However, Delhi’s average Air Quality Index (AQI) on Sunday was 396, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), and was in the ‘very poor’ category. The data released by the pollution control body was based on readings taken by 38 out of 40 monitoring stations across the national capital, CPCB said. Highest AQI level was recorded at Wazirpur area with a reading of 464, followed by Jahangirpuri- 457 and Vivek Vihar- 455. Cities adjoining Delhi to the likes of Faridabad, Gurugram, Ghaziabad, Noida and Greater Noida also recorded ‘very poor’ levels of the air qualoity index on Sunday. Meanwhile, a fresh report by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has said that ongoing air pollution in Delhi-NCR is being further worsened by the intransigence of thermal power plants, most of which are not complying with emission control norms.
Gurgaon: Despite a ban, waste burning remains rampant, especially during late evenings and early mornings, adding to pollution at a time air quality has touched hazardous levels. Garbage was being burnt along the roadside at three locations between Kherki Daula toll plaza and the Dwarka Expressway on Sunday. Shopkeepers, garbage collectors, sweepers, security guards and slum dwellers were burning waste to stay warm and dispose of the garbage in the absence of a well established solid waste management system in the city. “We constantly spot fires as the garbage disposal system is not in place. So, people choose the easy option — burning their waste. Though it happens round the year, it becomes worse during the winter as the air is already hazardous and the smell of smoke lingers," said Ruchika Sethi, a resident of Sector-50 who has been advocating for proper waste disposal. Residents alleged that civic authorities were unwilling to take responsibility. “The Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) has been imposed, but civic authorities have failed to deter open garbage burning. We have seen people doing it in areas such as Sadar Bazar, Sohna Chowk, Gurgaon bus stand, Jacobpura and others,” said Sumit Tayal, who runs a shop in Sadar Bazar. Smoke from burning leaves and trash releases particulate matter, particles that can embed themselves deep in the lungs when inhaled. “Waste accumulating on open grounds releases PM2.5, PM10, oxides of nitrogen and carbon monoxide when burnt. These make the air toxic,” said Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director for research and advocacy at the Centre for Science and Environment. An MCG official said the corporation has received complaints of open waste burning and the concerns have been forwarded to sanitary inspectors to carry out checks and penalise the violators. “The issue will be resolved soon. Waste collection process has been resumed in the city,” the official added. We also published the following articles recently 30,000 tonnes of garbage burnt in open, citys air quality suffersHyderabad sees 30,000 tonnes of open waste burnt every year, likely to increase to 40,000 tonnes by 2030. Open waste burning contributes to air pollution along with industries and vehicles. Burning waste releases toxic substances due to incomplete combustion. Despite NGT's prohibition and fines, open waste burning continues, sometimes by civic staff. The city faces challenges with waste volume and lack of recycling. Experts call for grassroots changes, such as household waste segregation, education on recycling, and strict enforcement of court orders.105341586 HC tells MCG to lift waste; corpn says disposal to improve in a wkThe Punjab and Haryana high court directed the Municipal Corporation of Gurgaon (MCG) to remove garbage strewn across the city amidst an ongoing strike by sanitation staff. The strike, demanding regularisation of jobs, has led to mounds of garbage in several parts of Gurgaon. The high court's order highlights the violation of the fundamental right to a clean environment. Gurgaon's overall hygiene and civic infrastructure have been subpar even before the protest. The MCG has expedited the process and expects improvement within a week.105369902 Safai staffers back at work, will boost waste collection: MCG chiefMCG commissioner PC Meena visited various areas in zone 2 to check the sanitation situation amid protests by workers. Meena ordered speedy garbage collection and directed continuous monitoring by joint commissioners. The municipal corporation is working to improve garbage collection and sanitation. More than 200 sanitation staffers have returned to work. The government is trying to repress the protest, but the workers remain resolved and plan to intensify their protest if demands are not met. The union demands an impartial probe into contract discrepancies and irregularities.105341468
राज्य ब्यूरो, नई दिल्ली। उत्सर्जन मानकों का पालन नहीं किए जाने से राष्ट्रीय राजधानी क्षेत्र के थर्मल पावर प्लांट भी दिल्ली की हवा में जहर घोल रहे हैं। एक नए विश्लेषण में यह जानकारी सामने आई है। पर्यावरण से जुड़े प्रमुख थिंक टैंक सेंटर फार साइंस एंड एन्वायरमेंट'' (सीएसई) ने एनसीआर स्थित 11 थर्मल पावर प्लांटों (टीपीपी) से उत्सर्जित प्रदूषक तत्वों, नाइट्रोजन ऑक्साइड और सल्फर डाइऑक्साइड पर ध्यान केंद्रित करते हुए एक अध्ययन किया है। यह अध्ययन केंद्रीय विद्युत प्राधिकरण (सीईए) की वेबसाइट पर मौजूद अप्रैल 2022 से अगस्त 2023 तक की उनकी पर्यावरणीय स्थिति रिपोर्ट पर आधारित है। थर्मल पावल प्लांट से भी बढ़ रहा प्रदूषण अध्ययन के मुताबिक दिल्ली-एनसीआर में पीएम 2.5 प्रदूषण में टीपीपी का हिस्सा तकरीबन आठ प्रतिशत है। सीएसई में ''रिसर्च एंड एडवोकेसी'' की कार्यकारी निदेशक अनुमिता रॉय चौधरी ने कहा, अगर थर्मल पावर प्लांट जैसे प्रदूषण के स्रोत इतने उच्च स्तर पर प्रदूषण करेंगे तो दिल्ली-एनसीआर स्वच्छ वायु के मानदंड और जन स्वास्थ्य की रक्षा के अपने लक्ष्य को कभी हासिल नहीं कर सकेगा। मानदंडों को पूरा करना जरूरी इस तरह के प्लांट मानदंडों को पूरा करने में असमर्थ हैं, जिसकी शुरुआती वजह समय सीमा को लगातार आगे बढ़ाया जाना है। सीएसई रिपोर्ट के मुताबिक समय सीमा को बार-बार आगे बढ़ाए जाने और केंद्रीय ऊर्जा मंत्रालय द्वारा संशोधित वर्गीकरण के बावजूद क्षेत्र में बहुत से प्लांट नाइट्रोजन आक्साइड और सल्फर डाइआक्साइड प्रदूषक तत्वों के उत्सर्जन के लिए तय मानकों का पालन नहीं कर रहे हैं। तय किए गए थे मानक मंत्रालय ने दिसंबर 2015 में कोयला आधारित प्लांट के लिए सख्त उत्सर्जन मानक लागू किए थे, जिनका दो साल के भीतर पालन किया जाना था। बाद में मंत्रालय ने दिल्ली-एनसीआर को छोड़कर सभी पावर प्लांट के लिए तय समयसीमा को पांच साल के लिए बढ़ा दिया था, जिस पर क्षेत्र में उच्च प्रदूषण स्तर को देखते हुए 2019 तक अमल किया जाना था।
अनुमिता रॉय चौधरी ने कहा,अगर थर्मल पावर जैसे प्रदूषण के स्त्रोत इतने उच्च स्तर पर प्रदूषण करेंगे तो दिल्ली-एनसीआर स्वच्छ वायु..
Centre for Science and Environment's Program Director (Industrial Pollution) Nivit Yadav speaks to NDTV on CSE's new research study on thermal power plants contributing to pollution levels in the Delhi-NCR Region. Listen in.
The collapse of the Silkyara Tunnel in northern India has prompted a massive rescue effort to reach 41 construction workers. India's government isa also taking steps aimed at avoiding similar incidents in the future. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), which builds and manages has been ordered to inspect all tunnel construction projects nationwide. "To ensure safety and adherence to the highest quality standards during construction, NHAI will undertake safety audit of all 29 under construction tunnels across the country," it said in a statement. The audit will look at 12 tunnels in the Himalayan state of Himachal Pradesh and six in the troubled Jammu and Kashmir region. It will also examine projects in Uttarakhand, the northern Himalayan state where the Silkyara Tunnel collapsed, and other Indian states. Given India's poor reputation for safety, there are some obvious areas where improvement is needed. For example, the Silkyara Tunnel apparently did not have an emergency exit, which has posed another challenge to rescuers struggling with busted machinery and possibly unstable terrain. However, many have said that this collapse is a sign of a wider problem in the Himalayas, wherepoorly planed development is having an impact on the frequency and intensity of disasters. Uttarakhand is often hit by landslides, earthquakes and flooding, and some experts and residents have warned that the mountains there are geologically unstable. Officials suspect that the tunnel collapse could have been caused by a weak section of rock that was hidden. As Indian and global media focus on the story, there is more and more attention being drawn to the fragility of the Himalayan ecosystem. Big plans for big roads through the Himalayas The Silkyara Tunnel is 4.5 kilometers (2.8 miles) long and located on the Char Dham pilgrimage route, which is currently one of the most ambitious projects of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government. It aims to link four important Hindu sites in northern India via 890 kilometers of wide two-lane all-weather roads that are being built at a cost of $1.5 billion (€1.36 billion) to link the holy towns of Gangotri, Yamunotri, Badrinath and Kedarnath. Environmentalists and other experts say that rampant development is already making the local ecosystem even more vulnerable to climate change. They say that years of unbridled construction, hydropower development and the lack of a proper drainage system have all exacerbated the crisis. This year alone, the Himalayan region has experienced several disasters, including the sinking of Joshimath town in Uttarakhand to floods and landslides in Himachal Pradesh, as well as a glacial lake outburst in Sikkim in October and the recent tunnel collapse. Saving the Himalayas from 'development destruction' Environmentalist Shekhar Pathak believes work on the Silkyara Tunnel started before sufficient geological surveys were conducted. He told DW that no lessons had been learned from the 2021 floods in the Rishi Ganga and Dhauli valleys, which claimed more than 200 lives, including those of many who were trapped inside the tunnels of the Tapovan Vishnugad hydropower plant. Pathak, who is also the founder of non-profit NGO People's Association for Himalaya Area Research, said that advanced safety measures for the tunnel were "missing" from the beginning. "The execution of emergency evacuation was not well thought out," he told DW. "Anything in the Himalayas should be done with in-depth studies and analysis and with detailed dialogue with community and scientists," he said. "Saving the Himalayas from big developmental destruction is equally important otherwise more lives will be at risk in the future." Melting glaciers increase risk There is a growing number of observers of the Char Dham project saying that critical mistakes have been made in the planning and implementation of the 900-kilometer route. Experts say that the environmental impact assessment process mandated for projects exceeding 100 kilometers was bypassed when the project was given the go-ahead. Officially, the project is not a single one but 53 small projects, which is why it has been able to proceed after just a token environmental assessment. Sunita Narain, the director of the Centre for Science and Environment think tank in the Indian capital, warned that climate change was bringing more volatility to the region because of unseasonal and extreme rain events. Various studies have found that glaciers in the Himalayas are melting dramatically, potentially increasing the risks of floods and landslides. "The bottom line is that this region is different — it is not the plains of India, which are situated on alluvial soil; it is not the Indian peninsular region where there is hard rock; it is not even the slopes of the Alps, where mountains have aged," Narain told DW. Illegal 'shortcut' to rush the project In 2019, India's Supreme Court appointed a high-ranking committee to assess the potential environmental and social damage of the project and to recommend measures to mitigate the impact. Veteran environmentalist Ravi Chopra was appointed chairman of the committee but resigned in 2022, claiming its recommendations had not been implemented. He told DW the entire project had been rushed. "In the process, shortcuts have been taken which violated the existing laws. The avoidance of an environmental impact assessment was particularly detrimental," he said. Chopra told DW that there would be more incidents such as the tunnel collapse as long as environmental issues are swept aside. "For development in the Himalayas, it is necessary to first address ecological concerns. Sustainable development demands approaches that are both geologically and ecologically sound." Edited by: Darko Janjevic
The 11 coal-based thermal power plants (TPPs) that fall within a 300-km radius of Delhi are not complying with emission control norms and are likely contributing to the prevailing high pollution levels in the national capital region (NCR), according to a new analysis carried out by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). The analysis, released on Sunday, said that out of the 11 plants, all but one were exceeding the sulphur dioxide (SO2) norms, three were exceeding particulate matter (PM) norms, four were exceeding nitrogen oxide (NOx) emission norms, and five were not maintaining adequate emissions data in the public domain. The study also said that only two plants were using flue-gas desulfurisation (FGD) - a technology mandated by the Union environment ministry to be installed to reduce SO2 emissions. HT on November 22 reported that nine of these power plants have missed at least four deadlines to switch to this technology. Eleven coal-based thermal power plants fall within Delhi's 300-km radius - Indira Gandhi super thermal power project, Mahatma Gandhi thermal power station (TPS), Panipat TPS, Rajiv Gandhi TPS, Yamuna Nagar TPS (all Haryana), Rajpura thermal power plant (TPP), Talwandi Sabo TPP, Guru Hargobind TPS, Ropar TPS (all Punjab), and Dadri TPS and Harduaganj TPS. Currently, FGD technology is installed only at the Mahatma Gandhi TPS and the Dadri TPS. "Delhi and NCR cannot meet the clean air benchmark and protect public health if the continuous sources of pollution like thermal power plants remain high emitters. These plants have not been able to meet the standards and are at varying stages of progress simply because the target dates for compliance are shifting continually," said Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy at CSE. The analysis is based on the environmental status reports of these plants accessed from Central Electricity Authority (CEA) website, a technical arm of the Union ministry of power, from April 2022 to August 2023. Data showed that among the 11 plants, three - Harduaganj, Panipat and Guru Hargobind TPPs - were reporting "very high" suspended PM emissions. Meanwhile, NOx norms were not being met by Panipat, Rajiv Gandhi TPP, Yamunanagar TPP and Guru Hargobind TPP. Mahatma Gandhi TPP was the only power plant in NCR where SO2 norms were within the prescribed limit. Dadri TPP, the other plant that has FGD in place, still reported SO2 readings above the permissible standard 86% of the time during the reporting period. "The reason could be either FGDs not in service or of inadequate capacity, or very high sulphur content of the coal being used," the report said. DD Basu, former director, Central Pollution Control Board said, "SO2 is a reactive gas and converts to sulphates in the form of fine PM2.5 which poses an even greater risk to health and environment. Therefore, control of SO2 is crucial from the perspective of controlling PM emissions." In 2015, the Ministry of environment, forest and climate change (MoEF&CC) introduced stringent emission norms for coal-fired TPPs. The emissions from TPP travel long distances and affect atmospheric concentrations. None of the plants met the initial deadline of 2017 end and only two - Dadri and Mahatma Gandhi TPPs - met the second deadline of 2019 end. Once the deadline elapsed, no action was initiated against these power generators for not abiding by the notification. Like earlier, the deadline was extended once more, this time till 2022 by the MoEF&CC. Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Hindustan Times.
A new suggests that coal-based thermal power plants are responsible for aggravating air pollution in Delhi-NCR, as most of them are not complying with emission control norms. Delhi-NCR has 11 thermal power plants. An analysis by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) revealed that the thermal power plants contribute around 8 per cent of particulate matter (PM) to the air in Delhi-NCR Roychowdhury, Executive Director, of Research and Advocacy, CSE, said in a press release, \"Delhi and NCR cannot meet the clean air benchmark and protect public health if the continuous sources of pollution like thermal power plants remain high emitters.\"ALSO READ: Breathless? Know the costs of rising air pollution in citiesRoychowdhury said that these plants have not been able to meet the standards and \"are at varying stages of progress simply because the target dates for compliance (with emission control norms) are shifting continually\".The recent study by the environmental think tank focused on particulate matter, nitrogen oxide and sulphur dioxide emissions from the 11 thermal power plants (TPPs) in Delhi-NCR analysis was based on the environmental status reports of these plants accessed from the website of the Central Electricity Authority (CEA), a technical arm of the Union Ministry of Power, from April 2022 to August 2023 study revealed that \"only two of 11 plants in NCR have sulphur dioxide (SO2) control measures in place\" and \"only one meets the SO2 emission standards\".Meeting the norms for emissionsThe CSE report said that despite multiple deadline extensions and revised categorisations by the Union Environment Ministry, many plants in the region are struggling to meet prescribed norms for emissions of nitrogen oxide, sulphur dioxide and particulate matter ministry established stringent emission standards for coal-based power plants in December 2015, requiring compliance within two years. \"Since then, the norms have been diluted for several parameters and deadlines have been repeatedly delayed,\" the report said, it granted a five-year extension to all power plants, except those in Delhi-NCR which were given until 2019 to comply due to the region's high pollution levels this, except for Dadri TPP and Mahatma Gandhi TPP, all NCR plants failed to meet the revised deadline and continued operating in violation until another extension in March 2021, the CSE report added, it was at this time that the ministry classified all power plants, including the ones in NCR, under three different categories: A, B and C. The categorisation was based on the criteria defined by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).According to the new deadlines:> Category A plants can meet SO2 emission norms by December 31, 2024.> Category B plants can meet SO2 emission norms by December 31, 2025.> Category C plants can meet SO2 emission norms by December 31, 2026 said that instead of delaying the timeline, more focus should be laid on the enablers in terms of strong compliance and deterrence mechanisms as well as incentives and one-time support for fast-tracking change and for time-bound implementation findings of the CSE report1. Three plants in the NCR - Harduaganj thermal power station of UPRVUNL, Panipat Thermal Power Plant of HPGCL, and Guru Hargobind TPP (Lehra Mohabbat) of PSPCL - are reporting very high suspended particulate matter emissions.2. Despite the relaxation in norms and deadlines, four plants - Panipat TPS, Rajiv Gandhi TPP and Yamunanagar TPP in Haryana and Guru Hargobind TPP (Lehra Mohabbat) in Punjab - have exceeded the Nitrogen oxide norms several times during the reporting period. (Three in Haryana, one in Punjab)3. In the case of sulphur dioxide, the Mahatma Gandhi TPP is the only power plant in NCR where the norms are within the prescribed limit.4. Dadri TPP is another plant that has sulphur dioxide control equipment (FGD) in place, but the plant has reported high sulphur dioxide readings 86 per cent of the time during the reporting period.5. All the coal power plants in NCR have reported sulphur dioxide emissions up to three times over the prescribed limits is sulphur dioxide a concern?According to DD Basu, Former Director, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), said,“Sulphur dioxide is a reactive gas and converts to sulphates in the form of fine particulate matter -- PM2.5 -- which poses even a greater risk to health and environment. Therefore, control of sulphur dioxide is crucial from the perspective of controlling particulate matter emissions.”Nivit Yadav, Programme Director, Industrial Pollution, CSE, said, \"The plants may not be in violation of the 2015 notification due to the extended deadlines granted to them to comply with the norms, but such high emissions of PM, nitrogen oxide and sulphur dioxide will only worsen the pollution in NCR.”Delhi's air quality remained 'very poor' on Sunday though a change in meteorological conditions due to a western disturbance may bring some relief, according to monitoring agencies, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Sunday expressed hope that the air quality would continue to improve for the next two days owing to an increase in wind speed and probability of rain.
A new suggests that coal-based thermal power plants are responsible for aggravating air pollution in Delhi-NCR, as most of them are not complying with emission control norms. Delhi-NCR has 11 thermal power plants. An analysis by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) revealed that the thermal power plants contribute around 8 per cent of particulate matter (PM) to the air in Delhi-NCR. Anumita Roychowdhury, Executive Director, of Research and Advocacy, CSE, said in a press release, “Delhi and NCR cannot meet the clean air benchmark and protect public health if the continuous sources of pollution like thermal power plants remain high emitters.” Roychowdhury said that these plants have not been able to meet the standards and “are at varying stages of progress simply because the target dates for compliance (with emission control norms) are shifting continually”. The recent study by the environmental think tank focused on particulate matter, nitrogen oxide and sulphur dioxide emissions from the 11 thermal power plants (TPPs) in Delhi-NCR. The analysis was based on the environmental status reports of these plants accessed from the website of the Central Electricity Authority (CEA), a technical arm of the Union Ministry of Power, from April 2022 to August 2023. The study revealed that “only two of 11 plants in NCR have sulphur dioxide (SO2) control measures in place” and “only one meets the SO2 emission standards”. Meeting the norms for emissions The CSE report said that despite multiple deadline extensions and revised categorisations by the Union Environment Ministry, many plants in the region are struggling to meet prescribed norms for emissions of nitrogen oxide, sulphur dioxide and particulate matter. The ministry established stringent emission standards for coal-based power plants in December 2015, requiring compliance within two years. “Since then, the norms have been diluted for several parameters and deadlines have been repeatedly delayed,” the report said. Later, it granted a five-year extension to all power plants, except those in Delhi-NCR which were given until 2019 to comply due to the region’s high pollution levels. Despite this, except for Dadri TPP and Mahatma Gandhi TPP, all NCR plants failed to meet the revised deadline and continued operating in violation until another extension in March 2021, the CSE report added. Now, it was at this time that the ministry classified all power plants, including the ones in NCR, under three different categories: A, B and C. The categorisation was based on the criteria defined by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). According to the new deadlines: > Category A plants can meet SO2 emission norms by December 31, 2024. > Category B plants can meet SO2 emission norms by December 31, 2025. > Category C plants can meet SO2 emission norms by December 31, 2026. Roychowdhury said that instead of delaying the timeline, more focus should be laid on the enablers in terms of strong compliance and deterrence mechanisms as well as incentives and one-time support for fast-tracking change and for time-bound implementation. Key findings of the CSE report 1. Three plants in the NCR — Harduaganj thermal power station of UPRVUNL, Panipat Thermal Power Plant of HPGCL, and Guru Hargobind TPP (Lehra Mohabbat) of PSPCL — are reporting very high suspended particulate matter emissions. 2. Despite the relaxation in norms and deadlines, four plants — Panipat TPS, Rajiv Gandhi TPP and Yamunanagar TPP in Haryana and Guru Hargobind TPP (Lehra Mohabbat) in Punjab — have exceeded the Nitrogen oxide norms several times during the reporting period. (Three in Haryana, one in Punjab) 3. In the case of sulphur dioxide, the Mahatma Gandhi TPP is the only power plant in NCR where the norms are within the prescribed limit. 4. Dadri TPP is another plant that has sulphur dioxide control equipment (FGD) in place, but the plant has reported high sulphur dioxide readings 86 per cent of the time during the reporting period. 5. All the coal power plants in NCR have reported sulphur dioxide emissions up to three times over the prescribed limits. Why is sulphur dioxide a concern? According to DD Basu, Former Director, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), said, “Sulphur dioxide is a reactive gas and converts to sulphates in the form of fine particulate matter — PM2.5 — which poses even a greater risk to health and environment. Therefore, control of sulphur dioxide is crucial from the perspective of controlling particulate matter emissions.” Nivit Yadav, Programme Director, Industrial Pollution, CSE, said, “The plants may not be in violation of the 2015 notification due to the extended deadlines granted to them to comply with the norms, but such high emissions of PM, nitrogen oxide and sulphur dioxide will only worsen the pollution in NCR.” Delhi’s air quality remained ‘very poor’ on Sunday though a change in meteorological conditions due to a western disturbance may bring some relief, according to monitoring agencies. Meanwhile, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Sunday expressed hope that the air quality would continue to improve for the next two days owing to an increase in wind speed and probability of rain.
तमाम कोशिशों के बावजूद दिल्ली-एनसीआर इलाके में प्रदूषण का संकट बना हुआ है. इसकी सबसे बड़ी वजह वो लाखों गाड़ियां हैं, जिनसे निकलने वाला धुंआ दिल्ली की हवा को ज़हरीला बनाये हुए है. इस बीच सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट ने अपनी ताज़ा रिसर्च रिपोर्ट में खुलासा किया है कि कोयले से चलने वाले थर्मल पावर प्लांट्स प्रदूषण के तय मानकों का पालन नहीं कर रहे हैं और दिल्ली एनसीआर के कुल पॉल्युशन लोड में उनकी हिस्सेदारी 8% तक है. पंजाब और हरियाणा में पराली जलाने की घटनाओं में पिछले कुछ दिनों में काफी गिरावट आई है, क्योंकि फसल कटाई का सीजन धीरे-धीरे खत्म हो रहा है. लेकिन दिल्ली-एनसीआर क्षेत्र में प्रदूषण संकट गंभीर बना हुआ है, क्योंकि प्रदूषण के दूसरे स्रोत राष्ट्रीय राजधानी क्षेत्र में हवा को ज़हरीली बना रहे हैं. प्रदूषण नियंत्रण के मानकों की अनदेखी कर रहे हैं थर्मल पावर प्लांट सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट के इंडस्ट्रियल पॉल्युशन यूनिट द्वारा दिल्ली-एनसीआर क्षेत्र के आसपास के 300 किलोमीटर दायरे में स्थित 11 कोयला आधारित थर्मल पावर प्लांटों के एक नए शोध अध्ययन में खुलासा हुआ है कि अधिकांश थर्मल पावर प्लांट प्रदूषण नियंत्रण के मानकों की अनदेखी कर रहे हैं. सीएसई के प्रोग्राम डायरेक्टर निवित यादव ने एनडीटीवी से कहा कि थर्मल पावर प्लांट दिल्ली-एनसीआर की हवा में कुल प्रदूषण लोड का अनुमानित 8 प्रतिशत पार्टिकुलेट मैटर (पीएम) कंट्रीब्यूट कर रहे हैं. सीएसई की जांच रिपोर्ट के मुताबिक दिल्ली-एनसीआर के आसपास स्थित 11 थर्मल पावर प्लांटों में से केवल दो में सल्फर डाइऑक्साइड (SO2) control measures हैं. इनमें केवल एक ही SO2 emission standards को पूरा करता है. 11 में से तीन थर्मल पावर प्लांट तय मानक से अधिक PM का emission कर रहे हैं. 11 में से चार नाइट्रोजन ऑक्साइड (NOx) के emission norms से अधिक emission कर रहे हैं. 11 में से पांच थर्मल पावर प्लांट्स सार्वजनिक डोमेन में डेटा रिपोर्टिंग सही तरीके से नहीं कर रहे हैं.
NEW DELHI: Non-compliance of thermal power plants in Delhi-NCR with emission standards is contributing significantly to air pollution in the region, according to a new analysis. The study by the environmental think tank Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) focuses on particulate matter, nitrogen oxide and sulphur dioxide emissions from the 11 thermal power plants (TPPs) in Delhi-NCR and is based on their environmental status reports sourced from the website of the Central Electricity Authority (CEA), a technical arm of the Union Ministry of Power, from April 2022 to August 2023. According to studies, the TPPs account for around eight per cent of the PM2.5 pollution in Delhi-NCR. "Delhi-NCR cannot achieve the clean air benchmark and safeguard public health if continuous sources of pollution, such as thermal power plants, continue to emit pollutants at high levels. These plants have struggled to meet the standards, primarily due to continually shifting compliance deadlines," says Anumita Roychowdhury, Executive Director, Research and Advocacy, CSE. The CSE report said that despite multiple deadline extensions and revised categorisations by the Union Environment Ministry, many plants in the region are struggling to meet prescribed norms for emissions of nitrogen oxide, sulphur dioxide and particulate matter. The ministry established stringent emission standards for coal-based power plants in December 2015, requiring compliance within two years. Later, it granted a five-year extension to all power plants except those in Delhi-NCR which were given until 2019 to comply due to the region's high pollution levels. Despite this, except for Dadri TPP and Mahatma Gandhi TPP, all NCR plants failed to meet the revised deadline and continued operating in violation until another extension in March 2021. The ministry then categorised all power plants, including those in Delhi-NCR, into three groups (A, B, and C) based on criteria set by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). New deadlines were set accordingly: Category A plants must meet SO2 emission norms by December 31, 2024. Category B plants have until December 31, 2025, to meet the SO2 emission norms and Category C plants are required to comply with SO2 emission norms by December 31, 2026. Except for Dadri, Indira Gandhi, Mahatma Gandhi, and Panipat TPPs, the remaining seven plants were classified under Category C, granting them additional time for compliance. Almost six years after the first deadline, three plants in the NCR -- Harduaganj TPP, Panipat TPP, and Guru Hargobind TPP -- are still reporting very high suspended particulate matter emissions, the CSE report said. The CSE researchers said that despite the government relaxing nitrogen oxide norms and deadlines, four plants, Panipat TPP, Rajiv Gandhi TPP and Yamunanagar TPP in Haryana and Guru Hargobind TPP in Punjab -- have exceeded the NOx norms several times during the reporting period. All coal power plants in NCR have reported SO2 emissions up to three times over the prescribed limits. While Mahatma Gandhi TPP remains within the limit for sulphur dioxide emissions, Dadri TPP, equipped with sulphur dioxide control equipment (FGD), reported high SO2 readings 86 per cent of the time during the reporting period. Researchers suggest that either the FGDs at Dadri TPP are malfunctioning or have insufficient capacity, or the coal used has very high sulphur content. DD Basu, former director of the CPCB, said controlling SO2 emissions is essential, as they convert to sulphates, posing greater risks to health and the environment by forming fine particulate matter.
A new report by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) says that the ongoing air pollution in Delhi-NCR is being worsened by the intransigence of thermal power plants, most of which are not complying with emission control norms. “Delhi and NCR cannot meet the clean air benchmark and protect public health if the continuous sources of pollution like thermal power plants remain high emitters. These plants have not been able to meet the standards and are at varying stages of progress simply because the target dates for compliance are shifting continually,” says Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy, CSE. Delhi-NCR has 11 thermal power plants. The CSE analysis focuses on particulate matter, nitrogen oxide and sulphur dioxide emissions by these coal-based thermal power plants. The analysis is based on the environmental status reports of these plants accessed from the website of Central Electricity Authority (CEA), a technical arm of the Union Ministry of Power, from April 2022 to August 2023. A history of delays The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) had introduced strict emission norms for coal-based power plants in December 2015 — to be complied within two years. Since then, the norms have been diluted for several parameters and deadlines have been repeatedly delayed. On the lapse of the first deadline of December 2017, a five-year extension was granted to all power plants except the ones in Delhi-NCR. Because of high levels of pollution in the region, the plants in NCR were tasked to comply by 2019. Except the Dadri TPP and the Mahatma Gandhi TPP, all the plants in NCR failed to meet the revised deadline and continued to operate in violation of the norms till another extension of the deadline was given in March 2021. At this time, the ministry classified all power plants, including the ones in NCR, under three different categories — A, B and C — based on the criteria defined by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). According to the new deadlines: *Category A plants can meet SO2 emission norms by December 31, 2024. *Category B plants can meet SO2 emission norms by December 31, 2025. *Category C plants can meet SO2 emission norms by December 31, 2026. Based on the new criteria, except for four plants – the Dadri, Indira Gandhi, Mahatma Gandhi and Panipat TPPs – the remaining seven plants were placed under category C, giving them more time to comply with the norms. Because of these extensions in deadline, Panipat TPP remains the only plant that is unlikely to meet the emission norms by the compliance deadline. However, says Nivit Yadav, Programme Director, Industrial Pollution, CSE, “this clearly does not imply that the emissions from other plants are anywhere within the prescribed limits, as we see in our current analysis.” High emissions spiking pollution in NCR Almost eight years after introduction of the notification on emission norms, and six years after the first deadline, three plants in the NCR — Harduaganj thermal power station of UPRVUNL, Panipat Thermal Power Plant of HPGCL, and Guru Hargobind TPP (Lehra Mohabbat) of PSPCL— are still reporting very high suspended particulate matter emissions, finds the CSE report. Says Yadav: “Minor changes in operational parameters and regular maintenance of electrostatic precipitators can make substantial improvement in compliance of power plants where SPM norms are not being met continuously.” Nitrogen oxide norms have already been relaxed by the government: nearly all the plants should be able to meet these norms with proper operational intelligence and with the assistance of the original equipment manufacturers (OEM) to carry out necessary modifications in the plant boilers, point out CSE researchers. Despite the relaxation in norms and deadlines, four plants¬ – Panipat TPS, Rajiv Gandhi TPP and Yamunanagar TPP in Haryana and Guru Hargobind TPP (Lehra Mohabbat) in Punjab — have exceeded the NOx norms several times during the reporting period. In the case of sulphur dioxide, the Mahatma Gandhi TPP is the only power plant in NCR where the norms are within the prescribed limit. Dadri TPP is another plant that has sulphur dioxide control equipment (FGD) in place, but the plant has reported high SO2 readings 86 per cent of the times during the reporting period – the reason could be either FGDs not in service or of inadequate capacity, or very high sulphur content of the coal being used. All the coal power plants in NCR have reported SO2 emissions up to three times over the prescribed limits. According to Dr D D Basu, former director, CPCB: “SO2 is a reactive gas and converts to sulphates in the form of fine particulate matter — PM2.5 — which poses even a greater risk to health and environment. Therefore, control of SO2 is crucial from the perspective of controlling particulate matter emissions.” Says Yadav: “CSE has been tracking and reporting on the status of implementation of the emission norms since its introduction in 2015. We have been advocating strict emission norms for coal power plants much before these were introduced by the MoEFCC. However, the extensions in deadlines and delays in meeting the norms have only resulted in bringing down the momentum and given coal TPPs a sense of security that they can continue to pollute and operate and not be held accountable. We cannot deny our growing energy needs and the operational issues with regard to shutting down plants, but this should not become the excuse for power generators to take environment and health of the people for granted.” He adds: “The plants may not be in violation of the 2015 notification due to the extended deadlines granted to them to comply with the norms, but such high emissions of PM, NOx and SO2 will only worsen the pollution in NCR.” Says Roychowdhury: “Instead of delaying the timeline, there should be more focus on the enablers in terms of strong compliance and deterrence mechanisms as well as incentives and a one-time support for fast tracking change and for time-bound implementation. This is a critical regional strategy for the cleaning up of the airshed.”
A recent analysis conducted by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) reveals that the non-compliance of thermal power plants in Delhi-NCR with emission standards is a major contributor to the region’s air pollution. The study focuses on the emissions of particulate matter, nitrogen oxide, and sulphur dioxide from the 11 thermal power plants in the area. The data utilized for the analysis is extracted from the environmental status reports of these plants, available on the website of the Central Electricity Authority (CEA), a technical arm of the Union Ministry of Power, covering the period from April 2022 to August 2023. The findings indicate that thermal power plants are responsible for approximately eight percent of the PM2.5 pollution in Delhi-NCR. Anumita Roychowdhury, the Executive Director of Research and Advocacy at CSE, emphasizes the critical role of compliance with emission standards for achieving clean air and safeguarding public health. She points out the challenges faced by these plants in meeting standards, primarily due to continuously shifting compliance deadlines. Despite multiple deadline extensions and revised categorizations by the Union Environment Ministry, many power plants in the region are struggling to adhere to prescribed norms for emissions of nitrogen oxide, sulphur dioxide, and particulate matter, according to the CSE report. The Union Environment Ministry initially established stringent emission standards for coal-based power plants in December 2015, requiring compliance within two years. Subsequently, a five-year extension was granted to all power plants except those in Delhi-NCR, which were given until 2019 to comply due to the region’s elevated pollution levels. However, except for Dadri TPP and Mahatma Gandhi TPP, all NCR plants failed to meet the revised deadline and continued to operate in violation until another extension was granted in March 2021. The ministry then categorized all power plants, including those in Delhi-NCR, into three groups (A, B, and C) based on criteria set by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). New deadlines were set accordingly: Category A plants must meet SO2 emission norms by December 31, 2024; Category B plants have until December 31, 2025, and Category C plants are required to comply by December 31, 2026. The CSE report highlights that, almost six years after the first deadline, three plants in the NCR—Harduaganj TPP, Panipat TPP, and Guru Hargobind TPP—are still reporting very high suspended particulate matter emissions. Despite the relaxation of nitrogen oxide norms and deadlines, four plants in Haryana and Punjab—Panipat TPP, Rajiv Gandhi TPP, Yamunanagar TPP, and Guru Hargobind TPP—have exceeded NOx norms several times during the reporting period. All coal power plants in NCR have reported SO2 emissions up to three times over the prescribed limits. While Mahatma Gandhi TPP remains within the limit for sulphur dioxide emissions, Dadri TPP, equipped with sulphur dioxide control equipment (FGD), reported high SO2 readings 86 percent of the time during the reporting period. Researchers suggest that either the FGDs at Dadri TPP are malfunctioning or have insufficient capacity, or the coal used has very high sulphur content. DD Basu, former director of the CPCB, emphasizes the importance of controlling SO2 emissions, as they can convert to sulphates, posing greater risks to health and the environment by forming fine particulate matter.