Key Facts
- The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has pulled up 14 thermal power plants for not complying with a December 31, 2019 deadline to limit sulfur dioxide emissions.
- These are 5 plants in Haryana, 3 in Punjab, 2 in Uttar Pradesh, 2 in Andhra Pradesh, 2 in Telangana and 1 in Tamil Nadu with a total capacity of approx 15 GW that have missed the deadline.
- To limit particulate matter (PM), sulfur dioxide and nitrous oxide emission from thermal plants, India put in place a phasedapproach that directs 440 coalfired units responsible for about 166,000 MW of power to put in place measures to limit pollution by December 2022.
- However, 11 plants in a 300 km radius of Delhi were to comply by December 31, 2019, because of the poor air quality in the city as well as the surrounding Gangetic plain.
- Some of them claimed to have set in place the process for acquiring flugas desulphurization technology whereas others said they were yet to award tenders. Only one of these plants has actually implemented technology to limit emissions.
About CPCB
- The CPCB has the power to impose steep fines or shut a unit under the provisions of the Environment Protection Act. As per Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) estimates, these norms can help reduce PM emissions by about 35%, nitrogen oxide emissions by about 70%, and sulfur dioxide emissions by more than 85% by 202627 against a businessasusual scenario with no pollution control technologies.
Source: The Hindu
No comments:
Post a Comment