Centre's move for coal plants to hit environment: Think tank

Time of India

2 days ago

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Ranchi: The Union ministry of environment, forest and climate change (MoEFCC)'s decision to exempt nearly 78% of India's thermal power plants (TPPs) from installing 'flue gas desulphurisation' (FGD) system would further wreak with the air quality of Jharkhand, where the power plants are thermal based.
This was stated by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), an independent research body.
Earlier this month, MoEFCC announced its move to exempt FGD installation for 'Category C' power plants. These plants are not located within 10 km radius of critically polluted areas (CPAs) or non-attainment cities. 'Category B' plants will be assessed on a case-to-case basis by the environmental appraisal committee while 2027 deadline for 'Category A' stays in place.
CREA senior analyst Manoj Kumar said, "We have studied this decision's impact on all states with coal. Jharkhand would face the worst problems as it has 13 thermal power units, totaling 4,250 MW. All these units fall under 'Category C'. Of the 13 power plants, only two owned by the Central sector has installed FGD system."
The govt's move to exempt FGD installation for 'Category C' plantsm despite proven benefits in reducing sulfur dioxide (SO₂), PM 2.5, and mercury emissions, and producing reusable gypsum for the cement industry, are unwarranted.
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"India is the world's largest emitter of SO₂, contributing nearly 20% of global anthropogenic SO₂ emissions. Coal-fired power plants account for 60% of India's SO₂ output, as they burn 70% of the country's coal.
Emission norms introduced in 2015 mandated the use of FGD systems to cut SO₂ emissions from power plants, but a July 2025 notification has diluted these requirements," it added.
Citing health impacts, it noted that power plants are responsible for up to 2,200 premature deaths annually in Jharkhand during 2018.
"Studies show PM2.5 from power plants is twice as toxic as that from other sources," it said.
An official at the Jharkhand State Pollution Control Board said, "We don't have much role to play in the policy changes made by the Union govt. We will ensure compliance of all the prescribed norms to arrest all kinds of pollution."
CREA further said that air quality in Jharkhand is already under stress. "IIT Delhi assessed the impact of power plants in all airsheds of India and found that 3-8 % is contributed by power plants in Jharkhand airsheds. Further, IIT Bombay assessed at city level and found that 4 to 24 % of PM2.5 is from the power sector in the Ranchi, Jamshedpur and Dhanbad cities. All these three cities are under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP).
Exempting compliance will further delay the achievement of up to 40% reduction in pollution levels in NCAP cities," it said.