Four thermal plants fined Rs 7.2 cr for violating emission norms

Mukesh Tandon

Tribune News Service

Panipat, May 24

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has imposed environmental compensation of Rs 18 lakh per month per non-compliant unit of the four thermal power plants in the state for not following emission norms. The penalty, levied under Section 5 of the Environmental Protection (EP) Act, will come into force from January 1 and plants have to pay Rs 7.2 crore till June 5.

The Board said 10 units of the four plants – unit 6, 7, 8 of the Panipat Thermal Power Station (PTPS); unit 1, 2 Deen Bandhu Chhotu Ram Thermal Power Station, Pansra (Yamunanagar); unit 1, 2 of the Rajiv Gandhi Thermal Power Project, Khedar (Hisar) and unit 1, 2, 3 Aravali Power Corporation Limited (APCL) in Jharli village of Jhajjar district — had failed to reduce emissions till December 2019.

CPCB chairman Ravi S Prasad also warned through the order dated May 8 that the compliance status would be reviewed. Further direction, if required, could be issued, which may include directions of closure of the units. It also ordered the plants to ensure compliance of directions, failing which action as deemed fit would be taken in accordance with the provisions of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.

In 2015, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change notified new environmental norms for coal-based power plants to cut down emission of particulate matter (PM10), sulphur dioxide (SO2) and oxides of nitrogen (NOx). It set a deadline of December 2017 for power stations to adhere to these guidelines.

On December 11, 2017, the CPCB issued directions that plants should install electrostatic precipitators to meet particulate matter emission limit and use flue-gas desulfurisation (FGD) technology to check SO2 emission and gave them time till December 2019.

However, the four plants failed to comply with the CPCB directions issued under Section 5 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. Taking stringent note, the Board had issued show-cause notices to the plants on January 31 and sought their reply within 15 days. All plants had filed their reply with the CPCB in February. Not satisfied with the response, the CPCB chairman has directed the plants to deposit environmental compensation.