The Ministry of Power (MoP) has asked for another 20-year extension for 398 thermal Category C coal power plants to comply with emission norms. Back in 2017, the deadline was established by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) which accounted for 78% of the nation’s coal-fired thermal power capacity. The deadline was then updated to 2024 in 2021. Presently, merely 5% capacity in Category-C plants aligns with the emission norms.
Decoding Reasons for the Extension
Initially, India set a 2017 deadline for thermal power plants to install Flue Gas Desulfurisation (FGD), a unit that reduces emissions of sulphur dioxides. In 2021, due to delays from various factors including the COVID-19 pandemic and import restrictions, MoP requested an extension for all thermal plants. Consequently, the Environment Ministry extended the compliance timeline by three to five years in April 2021. This lead to the categorisation of plants into three groups-Category A, B, and C.
Large amounts of industrial emissions of particulate matter, sulphur-, and nitrous-oxides are produced by thermal power companies, contributing to environmental health challenges such as lung diseases, acid rain, and smog. These companies also account for 70% of total freshwater withdrawal by all industries.
The primary reasons for the requested extension include a ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ incentivised phased manufacturing programme for FGD, high cost of FGD due to a demand-supply gap, and disruptions due to the Covid-19 pandemic and geopolitical conditions.
Category Breakdown of Coal Plants
Coal plants are divided into three categories-(A, B, and C) according to their aerial distance from highly populated cities, critically polluted areas, non-attainment cities, and the Delhi-National Capital Region region. Category A includes the power plants within a 10 km radius of the National Capital Region or cities with population over one million.
Category B and C plants are those within a 10 km radius of critically polluted areas or non-attainment cities and the remaining ones respectively. A penalty mechanism was introduced in 2021 to deal with deadline breaches.
Current Compliance Status
Approximately half (54%) of Category-A plants may not meet the December 2022 deadline. Up till now, only 13% of plants have complied with emission norms and a mere 8% of Category-B plants claim compliance. Alarmingly, about 61% are expected to miss the proposed deadline.
A Forward-Looking Approach
Addressing environmental concerns should be a top priority and continuous violators of set regulations should not be encouraged. It is also important to explore new technologies for efficacy, such as coal gasification and coal beneficiation. This approach will create opportunities for power plants to be more compatible with the environment, helping India transition to a more environmentally friendly energy space.
A Look at UPSC Civil Services Examination Question
To illustrate the importance of understanding the nuances of regulatory bodies, here’s a question from the 2018 UPSC Civil Services exam: “How is the National Green Tribunal (NGT) different from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)?”
The answer reveals that while the CPCB aims to improve air and water quality around the country, the NGT is tasked with providing environmental justice and reducing litigation load in higher courts. Such questions highlight the need for aspirants to thoroughly understand the missions and functions of these bodies
