Thermal plants near Delhi polluting city’s air: Report

NEW DELHI: The coal-fired power plants situated as far as 300km from the Delhi border are polluting the city air, a new report by Greenpeace has revealed.

NEW DELHI: The coal-fired power plants situated as far as 300km from the Delhi border are polluting the city air, a new report by Greenpeace has revealed.

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The report says that over 100 micrograms per metre cube of fine polluting particles (PM 2.5) enter the city every day from neighbouring states, mainly from thermal power plants situated in Haryana’s Panipat and Hissar and Uttar Pradesh’s Harduaganj, Aligarh. The permissible levels for PM 2.5, fine particles that settle deep in the human lungs clogging the respiratory system, is 60 micrograms per meter cube.

“The norms state that these thermal power plants cannot be located within a 300km radius of the capital. However, the emission from these power plants can travel long distances and in the process converts in PM 2.5 and adds to the city’s pollution levels,” said Nandikesh Sivalingam, senior campaigner at Greenpeace.

A discussion organised by Greenpeace, NGO, on Tuesday highlighted the need to use alternative sources of energy and how strict guidelines for the coal industry can help curb the alarming rise of pollution levels.

Experts said that while the focus of government agencies is on vehicular pollution, emissions from thermal power plants around Delhi are a more dangerous component of the capital’s pollution.

The discussion happened to present a counter view of the conference, ‘Indian Coal: Sustaining the Momentum’, which was attended by senior delegates from coal and power ministry to discuss the future of the coal industry.

He said that in the next few decades, many states in India will face a severe water shortage.

“The Union power minister has said that we have enough coal to sustain the industry. But what will the government do if there is no water to extract coal from mines. We are not asking for all plants to be closed but we should at least start phasing out so that more environment-friendly alternatives can be adopted,” said Sunil Dahiya, campaigner.