Environment ministry justifies tweak in sulphur dioxide emission norms for TPPs, calling it a pragmatic shift
NEW DELHI: Three days after exempting majority of the coal- and lignite-based thermal power plants (TPPs) in India from installing key anti-pollution equipment that could have helped them meet the sulphur dioxide standards, the Union environment ministry on Monday sought to justify its move saying the current exposure levels provide no credible evidence to suggest that SO₂, under prevailing ambient conditions, is a major public health concern.
It said any revision to SO2 standards must be driven by its actual contribution to PM2.5 levels and its corresponding health burden.
Flagging a detailed study carried out by IIT Delhi, the ministry said the analysis shows that sulfate contributes only 0.96% to 5.21% of PM2.5 and 0.57% to 3.67% of PM10 in cities near TPPs (Thermal Power Plants).
'The norms of SO2 emissions from TPPs, notified on July 11, is based on extensive consultations with stakeholders and research institutions regarding the effectiveness and rationale behind stack emission standards for SO2 on 537 TPPs throughout the country, and its role in overall ambient air pollution of the region,' said the ministry in a statement.
It said the ministry's decision represents a rational, evidence-based recalibration anchored in current ambient air quality data, sectoral emission trends, and broader sustainability imperatives. "The revised SO2 emission policy is not a rollback of environmental safeguards, but a pragmatic, scientifically justified shift towards more targeted, cost-effective, and climate-coherent regulation," it said.
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The ministry on July 11 issued a revised notification on installing anti-pollution flue gas desulphurisation (FGD) systems and introduced a new compliance framework based on categories exemptions. The FGD is a process of removing sulphur compounds from the exhaust emissions of fossil-fueled power stations.
The notification mandates control of SO2 emissions from TPPs in all Category A TPPs located within 10 km of the Delhi-NCR or cities with million-plus population.
So far, 17 FGDs have been installed in such cities.
Exemptions are, however, meant for TPPs located within 10 km of Critically Polluted Areas (CPAs) or Non-Attainment Cities (Category B). It will be the government's discretion to decide exemption of such plants.
The remaining TPPs in the rest of the cities, which fall under Category C (make up the bulk of India's TPPs), will be fully exempted from installing the FGDs provided they meet the prescribed stack height criteria by December 31, 2029.
Justifying the exemptions, the ministry said it was based on detailed scientific studies which were carried out by premier institutions such as IIT Delhi, National Institute of Advanced Studies as well as by the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) besides scientific examination by Central Pollution Control Board.
Claiming that the ministry remains fully committed to a comprehensive, science-based air quality management strategy that integrates both mitigation and co-benefit pathways, it said its latest move reflects declining ambient SO2 levels, recognizes the limited role of SO2 in driving PM2.5 health impacts, and "weighs the disproportionate resource and environmental costs of indiscriminate FGD mandates".
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