NEW DELHI: In a move that may spare majority of the coal- and lignite-based thermal power plants (TPPs) in the country from installing anti-pollution flue gas desulphurisation (FGD) systems, the environment ministry has issued a revised notification regarding Sulphur Dioxide (SO₂) emission standards for such plants and introduced a new compliance framework based on categories exemptions, penalties, and extensions.
All these power plants were earlier expected to install FGD equipment to meet the SO2 standards by the previous deadline but many of them failed to do it. The FGD is a process of removing sulphur compounds from the exhaust emissions of fossil-fueled power stations.
The TPPs that do not retire by December 31, 2030 and fail to meet pollution standards (especially for Sulphur Dioxide) within their respective deadlines will have to pay a penalty called environmental compensation. Their compliance deadlines have already been extended four times since 2017.
Though there will not be any exemption for existing and under-construction TPPs within 10 km of the air pollution hotspot, the national capital region (NCR), or cities with 1 million plus population (Category A cities, comprising 11% of total 600 of plants in the country) under the revised notification, it will be the government’s discretion to decide exemption of another 11% such plants located within 10 km of Critically Polluted Areas (CPAs) or Non-Attainment Cities (Category B) beyond the NCR.
The remaining TPPs (78% of the total) in the rest of the cities which fall under Category C will be fully exempted from adhering to the anti-pollution norms relating to the Sulphur Dioxide (SO₂) emission standards.
"The revised notification weakens India’s clean air ambitions by diluting or removing SO₂ norms for Category B and C thermal power plants, which together represent most of the country’s coal capacity. Together, these exemptions threaten to derail progress on industrial air pollution control, compromise public health, and reduce the effectiveness of India’s environmental regulations," said Nivit Kumar Yadav, director, industrial pollution team of the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE).
The CSE analysis shows that the exempting all Category C plants from SO₂ norms simply based on location ignores cumulative pollution, especially in areas like Singrauli or Korba which are not "officially" CPAs but are severely impacted. Notably, more than 75% of India’s thermal power capacity—amounting to approximately 166,885.5 MW—falls under Category C.
"Granting such a large-scale exemption undermines the effectiveness of the emission standards and poses a serious risk to public health and environmental sustainability," said Yadav.
The notification, issued on Saturday, came six months after the ministry gave the TPPs a fourth extension by stretching the timeline by three more years to install pollution control equipment. Giving relief to defaulters, the ministry had in Januaryextended the deadline for TPP located within 10 km radius of the NCR or cities having million plus population from Dec 31, 2024 to Dec 31, 2027.
Under the revised notification, if a thermal power plant plans to retire before December 31, 2030, then it does not have to meet the SO₂ emission standards but only if the plant officially submits an undertaking to both Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and Central Electricity Authority (CEA) stating that the plant will be retired by 31st December 2030.
Pointing at loopholes of the revised notification, the CSE in its analysis noted that allowing Sulphur Dioxide compliance for Category B thermal power plants to be decided on a "case-by-case" basis creates a major regulatory loophole.
"This ambiguous and subjective approach introduces inconsistency, delays, and a lack of accountability in enforcement. Instead of providing clarity, it fosters regulatory uncertainty for operators. For a pollutant as critical as SO₂, whose health impacts are well-documented, such discretion dilutes the integrity of environmental regulation and undermines the core objective of emission standards," said Yadav.
Referring to repeated extension of deadlines, he said, "Allowing the central government to grant more extensions based on CPCB advice may further delay actual pollution control. Past experience shows timelines are repeatedly extended."
All these power plants were earlier expected to install FGD equipment to meet the SO2 standards by the previous deadline but many of them failed to do it. The FGD is a process of removing sulphur compounds from the exhaust emissions of fossil-fueled power stations.
The TPPs that do not retire by December 31, 2030 and fail to meet pollution standards (especially for Sulphur Dioxide) within their respective deadlines will have to pay a penalty called environmental compensation. Their compliance deadlines have already been extended four times since 2017.
Though there will not be any exemption for existing and under-construction TPPs within 10 km of the air pollution hotspot, the national capital region (NCR), or cities with 1 million plus population (Category A cities, comprising 11% of total 600 of plants in the country) under the revised notification, it will be the government’s discretion to decide exemption of another 11% such plants located within 10 km of Critically Polluted Areas (CPAs) or Non-Attainment Cities (Category B) beyond the NCR.
The remaining TPPs (78% of the total) in the rest of the cities which fall under Category C will be fully exempted from adhering to the anti-pollution norms relating to the Sulphur Dioxide (SO₂) emission standards.
"The revised notification weakens India’s clean air ambitions by diluting or removing SO₂ norms for Category B and C thermal power plants, which together represent most of the country’s coal capacity. Together, these exemptions threaten to derail progress on industrial air pollution control, compromise public health, and reduce the effectiveness of India’s environmental regulations," said Nivit Kumar Yadav, director, industrial pollution team of the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE).
The CSE analysis shows that the exempting all Category C plants from SO₂ norms simply based on location ignores cumulative pollution, especially in areas like Singrauli or Korba which are not "officially" CPAs but are severely impacted. Notably, more than 75% of India’s thermal power capacity—amounting to approximately 166,885.5 MW—falls under Category C.
"Granting such a large-scale exemption undermines the effectiveness of the emission standards and poses a serious risk to public health and environmental sustainability," said Yadav.
The notification, issued on Saturday, came six months after the ministry gave the TPPs a fourth extension by stretching the timeline by three more years to install pollution control equipment. Giving relief to defaulters, the ministry had in Januaryextended the deadline for TPP located within 10 km radius of the NCR or cities having million plus population from Dec 31, 2024 to Dec 31, 2027.
Under the revised notification, if a thermal power plant plans to retire before December 31, 2030, then it does not have to meet the SO₂ emission standards but only if the plant officially submits an undertaking to both Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and Central Electricity Authority (CEA) stating that the plant will be retired by 31st December 2030.
Pointing at loopholes of the revised notification, the CSE in its analysis noted that allowing Sulphur Dioxide compliance for Category B thermal power plants to be decided on a "case-by-case" basis creates a major regulatory loophole.
"This ambiguous and subjective approach introduces inconsistency, delays, and a lack of accountability in enforcement. Instead of providing clarity, it fosters regulatory uncertainty for operators. For a pollutant as critical as SO₂, whose health impacts are well-documented, such discretion dilutes the integrity of environmental regulation and undermines the core objective of emission standards," said Yadav.
Referring to repeated extension of deadlines, he said, "Allowing the central government to grant more extensions based on CPCB advice may further delay actual pollution control. Past experience shows timelines are repeatedly extended."
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