Environment ministry could defer deadline for thermal plants to meet air pollution norms
The Union environment ministry is considering a request by the power ministry to defer the deadline for thermal power plants to meet air pollution norms by 2022 by two more years. Thermal power plants are one of the largest sources of sulfur dioxide (SO2) and particulate matter (PM) pollution in India.
It had notified superior emission standards for thermal power plants in December 2015 for implementation by end of 2017. The deadline was delayed to 2022 nationwide because of resistance from the thermal power industry. The environment ministry agreed to extend the deadline to 2022 and approached the Supreme Court which also ordered an extension.
