'Centre choosing easy over effective': Congress's Jairam Ramesh slams rollback of sulphur norms; alleges government caved to polluter pressure
NEW DELHI: Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Sunday criticised the Modi government for exempting most coal-fired power plants from installing pollution control systems, calling the decision 'dangerous' and based on 'faulty premises.
'
The environment ministry's new order, passed Friday, exempts 78–89% of thermal power plants from using flue gas desulphurisation (FGD) systems, which cut sulphur dioxide (SO₂) emissions.
'The Modi Government has already achieved the dubious distinction of having made India the global leader in sulphur dioxide emissions,' Ramesh posted on X. 'Now we learn that the environment ministry has exempted 78–89% of India's thermal power plants from installing FGDs.'
.
The former environment minister further said SO₂ harms public health and affects monsoon patterns. 'Research has increasingly shown that a large part of India's PM2.5 is due to sulphur dioxide reacting with other compounds,' he added.
Ramesh also hit out at the ministry for shifting focus from PM2.5 to the less harmful PM10, just because it's more visible and easier to control. 'By turning a blind eye to PM2.5, the ministry has consigned us to many more years of public health crisis.'
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
American Investor Warren Buffett Recommends: 5 Books For Turning Your Life Around
Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List
Undo
The senior Congress leader also slammed the continued use of outdated 2009 air quality norms. 'Without revising the NAAQS, policymaking will continue to be driven by flawed metrics,' he said.
'Delayed FGD worsening crisis': Research
Meanwhile, a recent research by IIT Delhi and IIT Bombay, reviewed by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) says that India's air pollution is largely driven by secondary PM2.5 particles formed when sulphur dioxide and other gases react in the atmosphere.
According to IIT Delhi, about 81% of this pollution is home-grown, with the power sector alone responsible for 11% of population-weighted exposure. It said that despite clear evidence linking SO₂ emissions to public health risks, FGD implementation in coal plants remains patchy, delayed, and widely ignored.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
United News of India
39 minutes ago
- United News of India
Think twice before messing with Marathi: Maha Cong chief
Mumbai, July 15 (UNI) While calling for preservation of Marathi language, culture and identity, Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee President Harshvardhan Sapkal today said that everyone in Maharashtra is Marathi and warned that anyone who tries to mess with it, will have to face them. Speaking at the "We are Marathi, We are Indian' workshop organised by the Congress in Mira-Bhayandar town of neighbouring Thane district, he said that Marathi must be preserved—not just because it is a language, but because it is a culture, an identity and the spirit of Maharashtra. Congress is not opposed to Hindi language but strongly resists the compulsory imposition of a third language, he said. "However, vandalism and violence in the name of Marathi will not be tolerated. We will not resort to violence; instead, we will teach and preserve Marathi. Everyone in Maharashtra is Marathi anyone who tries to mess with it, will have to face us," he warned. Speaking further, Sapkal said the forced promotion of Hindi originates from former RSS chief Golwalkar's book 'Bunch of Thoughts'. Mentioning that the BJP and the RSS do not respect the Indian Constitution, he said that India is known for unity in diversity, but the BJP wants to impose the idea of One Nation, One Election, One Language. "This toxic ideology stems from a Bunch of Thoughts. BJP and RSS aim to push the narrative of Hindi, Hindutva, and Hindu Rashtra. It is with this intent that the BJP government has deliberately triggered this controversy," he alleged. Explaining the choice of Mira Road as the venue for the event, Sapkal said, "... This is a battle of ideas. I have come to Mira Road to assert: 'We are Marathi, We are Indian'. Saying 'I won't speak Marathi' is sheer arrogance, but assaulting someone for not speaking Marathi is equally wrong." The forced imposition of Hindi will damage the education system, and could even lead to the repeal of the Right to Free and Compulsory Education Act, he added. UNI SP SS
Indian Express
43 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Rahul gets bail in defamation case
Congress MP from Rae Bareli and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, was granted bail from the special MP-MLA court in Lucknow this Tuesday following his appearance in a defamation case regarding his alleged derogatory remarks against Indian Army during Bharat Jodo Yatra in 2022. The bail was granted by Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Alok Verma on production of two sureties of Rs 20,000 each. The defamation complaint was filed by Uday Shankar Srivastava, a retired director of Border Roads Organisation ( equivalent to the rank of colonel in the Army). The complaint states that on December 16, 2022, Gandhi, while addressing various media personnel and the public during the Bharat Jodo Yatra, mentioned the clash between the Indian Army and the Chinese Army on the border of Arunachal Pradesh on December 9, 2022 and that some of Gandhi's remarks were 'derogatory'.
India Today
an hour ago
- India Today
We're getting access: Trump says India trade deal is near
US President Donald Trump on Tuesday claimed the United States is making significant strides toward securing access to Indian markets, crediting his aggressive tariff strategy for opening doors that had long been shut to American businesses."We're going to have access into India," Trump said, while also announcing a completed trade agreement with Indonesia following a call with President Joko Widodo. "You have to understand, we had no access into any of these countries. Our people couldn't go in. And now we're getting access because of what we're doing with the tariffs."advertisementWhile the White House has yet to provide specific details on the status or content of the proposed US-India trade framework, Trump's remarks signal a renewed push to rebalance trade relationships in Asia. Trump pointed out that his tough tariff stance is yielding results. "Now we're getting access," he repeated, positioning the development as a direct outcome of his trade TRADE TALKS IN WASHINGTONDonald Trump has repeatedly said that a deal with India is nearly done, though some final details are still being worked out. Interestingly, experts familiar with US-India relations believe it's actually a good thing that Trump hasn't sent an official letter to India yet. According to former officials, such a move could have annoyed the Indian government and risked disrupting the nearly completed trade delegation, led by chief negotiator Rajesh Agrawal, are in Washington for planned discussions that have reignited optimism about a possible agreement. India is the biggest US trading partner facing Trump's proposed "reciprocal tariffs." Unlike others -- including the EU, South Korea, Japan, Canada, and Mexico -- India has not received a formal letter from Trump threatening tariffs of 25 to 35 percent starting August THREATENS NEW TARIFFSAs Donald Trump sets an August 1 deadline to roll out high tariffs on multiple countries to address "unfair trade practices", he's also warning of more tariffs that could complicate ongoing is also frustrated with Brics nations due to the bloc's push to reduce reliance on the US dollar. India is also a member of the bloc. Trump is threatening a 50 percent tariff on another member of the bloc -- Brazil. He's also considering a 10 percent tariff on all Brics members and a 100 percent levy on countries that continue to buy oil and gas from Russia. India, notably, is the second-largest buyer of Russian fossil fuels.- EndsWith inputs from AgenciesTune InMust Watch
