The government has asked 79 coal-based power plants totalling 20,500-MW near million plus cities in 10 states including Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and UP to install equipment to curb emission of poisonous sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide gases, by this month end, while 517 others have been given timeline relaxations.
According to the revised categorisation of thermal power plants by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), these 79 coal-fired power plants near populated and already polluted cities. Delhi, Chennai, Kota, Greater Mumbai, Nagpur, Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada have been marked in the Category-A of the new norms.
