E-Paper
Four Haryana thermal plants get 2-year extension to comply with emission limits
Almost six months after the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) imposed environmental compensation on four thermal power plants of Haryana for non-compliance
Almost six months after the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) imposed environmental compensation on four thermal power plants of Haryana for non-compliance with norms, the pollution control body has granted extension to these plants to comply with emission limits.
As per the copy of the orders accessed by Hindustan Times, National Thermal Power Corporation’s Indira Gandhi Thermal Power Plant in Jhajjar, Haryana Power Generation Corporation’s Deen Bandhu Chhotu Ram Thermal Power Station in Yamunanagar, Rajiv Gandhi Thermal Power Project in Hisar and Panipat Thermal Power Station have been under Section 5 of the Environment (Protection) Act given extension up to December 31, 2022.
The orders mentioned that the compliance with the directions will be reviewed by CPCB periodically and if required, further directions will also be issued which may include closure of the erring units.
It is worth mentioning here that in May this year, CPCB had imposed environmental compensation of ₹18 lakh per month per non-compliant unit of the four thermal power plants in the state for not following emission norms.
As per the orders, the penalties levied under Section 5 of the Environment Protection Act had come into force from January 1 and plants had to pay ₹7.2 crore till June 5. According to the orders, these power plants, which were to be retrofitted with modern flue-gas desulfurization (FGD) units that cut emissions of sulfur dioxide, did not comply with the norms.
The penalties were imposed following a study by IIT Kanpur on air pollution and greenhouse gases in Delhi in January 2016, which had indicated that 13 thermal power plants with the capacity of over 11,000 MW in the 300-km radius of Delhi were expected to contribute to secondary particulate pollutants, and considering the impact of coal-based power plants on ambient air quality in Delhi-NCR, the timelines given by the ministry of power for thermal plants within the specific limits were revised on December 31, 2019.
Haryana State Pollution Control Board member secretary S Narayanan said that the state pollution control board is following up the issue with the power plants and Haryana Power Generation Corporation for the necessary compliance with norms.
