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पराली जलाने की घटनाओं में गिरावट के बावजूद दिल्ली-एनसीआर में प्रदूषण का संकट जारी, ये है वजह

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.

Coal-based power plants aggravating air pollution in Delhi-NCR: Report

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.

CSE report: Delhi-NCR air quality worsens due to thermal power plants disregarding pollution control

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.”

Coal-based power plants major contributor to air pollution in Delhi-NCR: Report

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.

Delhi air pollution: AQI dips, but data from just 19 station

NEW DELHI: The air quality on Saturday was recorded in the upper end of the 'very poor' category with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 389 as against 415 in the 'severe' range on Friday. However, Central Pollution Control Board calculated the 24-hour average AQI on Saturday with just 19 active stations out of a total of 40, according to its bulletin released at 4 pm. In contrast, Friday's AQI was based on an average of 38 stations out of 40. No reasons were cited for this. This comes after November 14 when AQI readings of just nine stations were available from 9 am to 3 pm as "server was down." However, on November 14, AQI was 341 at 3 pm based on the readings from only nine stations, but it rose to 397 at 4 pm when readings of 35 stations were made available. Track the pollution level in your city Similarly, on November 15, Delhi's AQI was 401 in severe category, according to CPCB's bulletin released at 4 pm. However, a day later, CPCB had issued a notice stating that there was some error in calculating the city's AQI at 4 pm on November 15 and the revised AQI for that day was 398, in the 'very poor' category. CPCB had then said that the AQI script did not capture data of four out of 35 operating stations on November 15 and hence the AQI was revised. AQI Dips, But Data From Just 19 Stns While this November is turning out to be the second-most polluted in the past six years, there have been repeated issues with AQI data this month. CPCB's data shows that this November has witnessed nine severe days so far when AQI was above 400. It has also recorded six 'near severe' days when AQI was in the range of 390 and 400. CPCB's Sameer app data shows that out of 40 stations in the city, 25 stations out of 40 became active at 7 pm with an AQI of 387. An analysis of CPCB's bulletin shows that the 24-hour average AQI is usually based on data received from 35 or above stations in Delhi. No response was received from officials. Sunil Dahiya, analyst, Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), said, the average PM2.5 concentration of Delhi of the past 24 hours on November 25 from 4 pm on Friday to 4 pm on Saturday was 275 micrograms per cubic metre for 36-38 stations. "Using CPCB's AQI calculator, the average AQI of the past 24 hours based on PM2.5 concentration of 275 micrograms per cubic metre is coming above 400. It shows discrepancy in daily bulletin by CPCB, which has considered data of only 19 stations. CPCB should ensure that Delhi's average AQI should be based on data taken from maximum stations." He, however, added that the 24-hour average PM2.5 concentration on November 24 was 291 micrograms per cubic metre. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), said, "The decisions on implementation of Graded Response Action Plan are based on daily AQI levels. It is necessary to provide consistent and reliable data from all monitoring stations for estimation of AQI throughout the winter season." Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana recorded 74, 37 and four paddy residue burning events, respectively, on Saturday. The share of stubble burning is insignificant while adverse meteorological conditions, including calm wind conditions, low temperatures and low mixing layer height, have hampered the dispersion of pollutants. According to Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi, the air quality is likely to improve and remain in 'very poor' category from November 26 to 28.

Substantial contribution of non-compliant thermal power plants aggravating air pollution in Delhi-NCR: Report

New Delhi: A new research by the environmental think tank Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has highlighted the substantial contribution of non-compliant thermal power plants (TPPs) in Delhi-NCR to air pollution in the region. The study focused on emissions of particulate matter, nitrogen oxide and sulphur dioxide from 11 thermal power plants in Delhi-NCR, based on their environmental status reports obtained from the Central Electricity Authority’s (CEA) website. Struggle of thermal power plants to meet emission standards The findings revealed that approximately eight per cent of the PM2.5 pollution in Delhi-NCR is attributed to these TPPs, making it challenging for the region to achieve clean air standards and protect public health. Anumita Roychowdhury, Executive Director of Research and Advocacy at CSE, emphasized the struggle of thermal power plants to meet emission standards, citing continually shifting compliance deadlines as a primary obstacle. Despite multiple deadline extensions and revised categorizations by the Union Environment Ministry, many plants in the region have faced difficulties in meeting prescribed norms for emissions of nitrogen oxide, sulphur dioxide and particulate matter. Although stringent emission standards were established for coal-based power plants in December 2015, with a two-year compliance deadline, subsequent extensions and revisions followed. The ministry granted a five-year extension to all power plants except those in Delhi-NCR, with a deadline of 2019 due to the region’s high pollution levels. NCR plants failed to meet the revised deadline However, most NCR plants failed to meet the revised deadline and continued to operate in violation until another extension in March 2021. The subsequent categorization of power plants into three groups (A, B, and C) by the ministry was based on criteria set by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), with new deadlines set accordingly. Several years after the initial deadline, certain plants in the NCR are still reporting very high suspended particulate matter emissions. Additionally, despite relaxed nitrogen oxide norms and deadlines, specific plants have exceeded the prescribed limits for nitrogen oxide emissions multiple times during the reporting period. Concerns about sulphur dioxide emissions were also raised, as all coal power plants in NCR reported SO2 emissions beyond the prescribed limits, posing health and environmental risks. Researchers have highlighted the importance of controlling SO2 emissions, which can lead to the formation of fine particulate matter and present significant health and environmental hazards. The findings underscore the urgent need for stricter compliance and effective measures to reduce emissions from thermal power plants in the region.

Coal-based power plants aggravating air pollution in Delhi-NCR: Report

The study by 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 . The study by 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...

Coal-based power plants aggravating air pollution in Delhi-NCR: Report

New Delhi, Nov 26 (PTI) 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 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 percent 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 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, said controlling SO2 emissions is essential, as they convert to sulphates, posing greater risks to health and the environment by forming fine particulate matter. PTI GVS GVS DV DV

Coal-based power plants aggravating air pollution in Delhi-NCR: Report

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 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 percent 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 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, said controlling SO2 emissions is essential, as they convert to sulphates, posing greater risks to health and the environment by forming fine particulate matter.

Coal-based power plants aggravating air pollution in Delhi-NCR: Report

New Delhi, Nov 26 (PTI) 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 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 percent 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.

Air Pollution: कोयला आधारित बिजली संयंत्र दिल्ली-एनसीआर में बढ़ा रहे प्रदूषण, रिपोर्ट में हुआ खुलासा

क नए विश्लेषण के अनुसार, दिल्ली-एनसीआर में थर्मल पावर प्लांटों द्वारा उत्सर्जन मानकों का अनुपालन न करने से वायु प्रदूषण बढ़ रहा है। पर्यावरण से जुड़े थिंक टैंक. सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड इंवायरमेंट (सीएसई) ने दिल्ली-एनसीआर में 11 ताप ऊर्जा संयंत्रों (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। सीएसई में रिसर्च एंड एडवोकेसी की कार्यकारी निदेशक अनुमिता रॉय चौधरी ने बताया कि ' दिल्ली-एनसीआर में पीएम 2.5 प्रदूषण में टीपीपी का योगदान लगभग आठ प्रतिशत है। यदि प्रदूषण के निरंतर स्रोत, जैसे कि थर्मल पावर प्लांट, उच्च स्तर पर प्रदूषकों का उत्सर्जन जारी रखते हैं तो दिल्ली-एनसीआर स्वच्छ वायु बेंचमार्क हासिल नहीं कर सकता है और सार्वजनिक स्वास्थ्य की रक्षा नहीं कर सकता है। सीएसई की रिपोर्ट में कहा गया है कि केंद्रीय पर्यावरण मंत्रालय द्वारा कई समय सीमा विस्तार और संशोधित वर्गीकरण के बावजूद, क्षेत्र के कई संयंत्र नाइट्रोजन ऑक्साइड, सल्फर डाइऑक्साइड और पार्टिकुलेट मैटर के उत्सर्जन के लिए निर्धारित मानदंडों को पूरा करने के लिए संघर्ष कर रहे हैं। मंत्रालय ने दिसंबर 2015 में कोयला आधारित बिजली संयंत्रों के लिए कड़े उत्सर्जन मानक स्थापित किए, जिनका दो साल के भीतर अनुपालन करना आवश्यक था। बाद में इसने दिल्ली-एनसीआर को छोड़कर सभी बिजली संयंत्रों को पांच साल का विस्तार दिया, जो क्षेत्र के उच्च प्रदूषण स्तर के कारण अनुपालन के लिए 2019 तक दिया गया था।

India’s stance on power sector has been changing since May 2023. Is it a lack of planning or just political messaging?

Plans to halt building new coal-fired power plants, apart from those already planned, were announced 6 months ago India’s stance on its power sector has considerably shifted in the last six months. The Union minister for power and new and renewable energy, RK Singh, held a review meeting on November 21, 2023 with independent and state-owned power producers. The minister said India needs to add 80 gigawatts (GW) of coal-based power capacity, compared to the 27 GW already under construction or planned, as mentioned in the National Electricity Plan 2022-32 (NEP). The addition is needed as the peak power demand in the country could go up to 335 GW by 2029-30 from the current level of 240 GW, Singh added. The Union minister in September 2023 stated that India may add 25-30 GW thermal electricity generation capacity in addition to the under-construction / planned capacity to meet the rising demand. Before that, in May 2023, it was announced that India will pause the commissioning of new coal power plants for the next five years, apart from the ones already in the pipeline, in order to boost the renewable capacity of the country. Between May 2023 and November 2023, India’s stance shifted from adding no new coal power capacity apart from planned ones to adding 80 GW of coal power capacity in the country. In August 2023, Singh informed the Rajya Sabha that the central government had not formulated any plan to phase out the old coal-based thermal power plants in the country. The Central Electricity Authority (CEA), vide an advisory dated January 20, 2023, suggested that no retirement or re-purposing of coal power stations be done before 2030, considering the expected energy demand scenario, the minister added. But the NEP, which was notified in May 2023, mentioned that 2,121.5 MW (12 plants) were under consideration for likely retirement between 2022 and 2032. Within a span of six months, the minister has made statements indicating a shift in what has been laid out in the National Electricity Plan 2022-32. But what could be the reasons behind this change? The rising demand for power is the first and most obvious one. The country must add 80 GW capacity as the demand will reach 335 GW by 2030, the minister said in his most recent statement. But the projection of this demand was already in the NEP when it was notified. The NEP projected a peak electricity demand of 366.4 GW in 2031-32, which doesn’t seem different from what Singh said in his most recent statement. If the demand was projected correctly, the planned capacity addition should have been considered accordingly within the NEP. It does not explain why the capacity additions were announced later. The other reason stated is the limitations of energy storage technology and its costs, which limit dependence on renewable energy. However, these costs were not very different six months ago, so it does not explain why the NEP had not considered them. Notifying a comprehensive electricity plan for the country for the upcoming decade and then putting out statements within a few months that deviate from the plan sends out a message of lack of planning and clarity in India’s strategies with respect to the power sector. India is also inviting private investment for coal-fired plants, despite opposition from the Western world, news agency Reuters reported on November 22, 2023. Singh asked the private companies to invest in coal projects and “not miss the growth opportunity”, the report stated. “This announcement of coal power capacity expansion could also be a message for the private sector to continue investing in coal power in India,” said Anubha Agrawal, programme officer for industry unit at Delhi-based think tank Centre for Science and Environment. The developed world’s continued dependence on fossil fuels could also be driving forces behind these statements about why India should compromise at all on its energy security when the countries that should have taken the lead in climate mitigation are retreating. However, frequent changes in India’s stance could jeopardise the cause of climate change that India has been championing for years by setting ambitious targets and meeting them ahead of schedule (such as for renewable energy). Even if these shifting statements are a political message to the rest of the world highlighting the importance of energy security for India, one-time clear messaging and non-contradictory stances will save us from facing any difficulties in areas where we are already achievers. We are a voice to you; you have been a support to us. Together we build journalism that is independent, credible and fearless. You can further help us by making a donation. This will mean a lot for our ability to bring you news, perspectives and analysis from the ground so that we can make change together. https://www.downtoearth.org.in/blog/energy/india-s-stance-on-power-sector-has-been-changing-since-may-2023-is-it-a-lack-of-planning-or-just-political-messaging--92983

Coal-Based Thermal Power Plants Ignoring Pollution Control Measures In Delhi-NCR: CSE Report

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-National capital region (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, 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 thermal power plants (TPP) 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. According to the new deadlines: Category A plants can meet (sulphur-di-oxide) SO2 emission norms by 31 December 2024. Category B plants can meet SO2 emission norms by 31 December 2025. Category C plants can meet SO2 emission norms by 31 December 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 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 nitrogen oxide 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." Roychowdhury adds, “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.”

Delhi AQI in ‘severe’ category on Friday, unlikely to improve over weekend

Delhi has recorded eight ‘severe’ air days so far this month when the AQI has been over 400; it has been on the brink of severe on another six days New Delhi: Delhi’s air quality on Friday morning touched the ‘severe’ category after being in the ‘very poor’ category for six consecutive days until Thursday. This is a deviation from the forecasts on Thursday, which had indicated that Delhi’s AQI was expected to remain ‘very poor’ on Friday, and possibly touching severe only on Saturday. “Delhi’s air quality is likely to remain in the ‘very poor’ category on Friday. The air quality is likely to be in the ‘severe’ category on Saturday and back in ‘very poor’ again on Sunday,” the Early Warning System (EWS) for Delhi, a forecasting model used by the (CAQM) in NCR, had sCommission for Air Quality Management aid on Thursday. An AQI of 51 to 100 is classified as ‘satisfactory’, between 101 and 200 is classified as ‘moderate’, between 201 and 300 is classified as ‘poor’, between 301 and 400 is classified as ‘very poor’ and over 400 is ‘severe’ by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). On Thursday, the AQI had marginally improved in comparison to Wednesday as dipping temperature and calm winds at night provided no respite to the capital. Delhi’s 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) was recorded at 390 (very poor) as per Central Pollution Control Board’s national bulletin at 4 pm on Thursday, with it recorded at 395 (very poor) at the same time on Wednesday. Though Delhi has recorded eight ‘severe’ air days so far this month – when the AQI has been over 400, it has been on the brink of severe – 390 or higher on another six days, making it 14 such days with an AQI of 390 or higher. This is the highest tally of such days in November in the last eight years, with the previous high of 13 such days coming in November 2021. Last year, Delhi recorded three such days, nine in 2020, eight each in 2019 and 2018, seven in 2017, 11 in 2016 and seven in 2015. The wind direction on Friday morning was southeasterly. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has said there is likely to be a change in wind direction on Friday, with it largely remaining easterly, until a western disturbance brings light rain over Delhi on November 27. Delhi’s minimum temperature is also expected to remain low, hovering around 10-11 degrees Celsus from Friday until the weekend, rising to 13 degrees by November 27. Delhi’s minimum on Thursday was 9.2 degrees Celsius – two degrees below normal and the lowest so far this season. Low temperatures make the atmosphere more stable, aiding calm wind conditions and making the dispersal of pollutants difficult. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) said even though Delhi got some respite before Diwali due to rain, pollution levels have shot up once again post the festival, giving Delhiites a long spell of fairly high exposure. “On paper, the AQI may be very poor, but a difference of a few points between 390 and 400 will not make much difference and this exposure is still fairly high. It is worrying from a health point of view and highlights the need for requiring much stronger action not just in Delhi, but across NCR too,” she said.

WORLD STILL FAR FROM MEETING THE CLIMATE GOALS

Five years since the adoption of the Paris Agreement, the world is still far from meeting the climate goals: Of capping the global average temperature increase at “well below 2 degree Celsius above pre-industrial levels and pursuing efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.” At the 21st Conference of Parties (COP 21) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Paris, non-Annex 1 — developing — countries signed pledges; they agreed to shoulder the responsibility of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions along with Annex 1 and 2, — developed and industrialised — countries. In simple terms, country-level GHG emissions equates to energy spent by burning fossil fuels. This, in turn, equates to economic growth. From the Kyoto Protocol, the predecessor of the Paris Agreement, developing and poor countries followed the principle of Common but Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities (CBDR-RC). It acknowledges the different capabilities and differing responsibilities of individual countries in addressing climate change. This is based on the historical context of emission pathways: Rich countries developed by burning fossil fuels, industrialising and therefore becoming economically stable. Following the CBDF-RC, non-Annex 1 countries are allowed their fair share of carbon budget and GHG emission. In the Paris Agreement, however, non-Annex 1 countries put aside this principle and pledged to reduce their emissions along with Annex 1 countries. This acknowledged that though we do not have a historical responsibility in reducing emissions, considering the impacts of climate change we will get on board. This took the form of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) — climate action plan of countries — and, moving forward, Long-term Low Greenhouse Gas Emission Development Strategies (LTSs) in the form of Net Zero targets. India is within the “2°C compatible” rating — the country’s climate commitment (through 2030) is considered a fair share of global effort, but is not consistent with the Paris Agreement of 1.5°C. The United States, Russia, China and Japan are on a 4°C (or higher) pathway; Australia, Canada and others are a modicum better, on a 3°C warming pathway. However, outside the 2°C compatible pathway it all adds up to these major emitters being well outside the fair share range — not at all consistent to the what was agreed upon in Paris in 2015. In terms of the fair share of equity, countries should have similar emissions-reduction costs vis-à-vis their gross domestic product. But economies like the US and those in the European Union have been high emitters, still have high per capita emissions and have high capacities to act — approaches that focus on equality, equal cumulative emissions and historical responsibility. Yet, their NDCs are highly inequitable; much more stringent reductions are needed, which partially result in negative emission allowances in all years. Ironically, the sense of optimism from countries party to the convention on how they fare with their NDCs indicate the mismatch between expectations and reality. Even if every country fulfils every commitment, global warming would still be more than 3°C. Now, literally, is the time to act; By the next cycle to update NDCs in 2025, the scale of the task may be beyond reasonable reach. It would be folly for Parties to wait until then to correct the lack of ambition as NDCs are a stepping stone towards Net Zero emissions by mid-century. Prior to the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, there were some encouraging signs. Indonesia and the US lowered their projections for coal output. But Russia increased its projections; Australia, Canada, the US and Russia also forecast even larger increases in their oil and gas production. Russia, the US and Canada also expected to produce substantially more gas. Overall, the net change of developed countries towards 2030 is that there is going to be a substantial increase in gas. This indicates a reluctance to move away from ‘bridging fuel’ natural gas — a major methane (among GHG) emitter. This indicates that developed countries do not intend on a fair and equitable distribution of the carbon pie for developing countries. Global fossil fuel production needs to decline 6 per cent every year for the next decade for a 1.5°C rise in temperatures, according to the United Nations Environment Programme Production Gap Report. Even for a 2°C rise, it needs to keep decreasing 2 per cent year-on-year. For a 1.5°C pathway, coal output will have to decrease 11 per cent annually through 2030; oil and gas production should fall 4 per cent and 3 per cent, respectively. But countries aim to produce 120 per cent and 50 per cent more fossil fuel by 2030 than would be consistent with limiting global warming to 1.5°C or 2°C, respectively. This translates to a 2 per cent annual average growth in global production over the next decade even as all signs point to a continued global fossil fuel production gap. .www.downtoearth.org.in/