Lok Sabha Question No. 1344 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-12-22
Subject: Installation of FGD Technology
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: SRINIVAS KESINENI, SHOBHA KARANDLAJE, PRATHAP SIMHA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1344

TO BE ANSWERED ON 22.12.2017

## Installation of FGD Technology

## 1344.   SHRI KESINENI NANI: KUMARI SHOBHA KARANDLAJE: SHRI PRATHAP SIMHA:

Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  his  Ministry  has  notified  the  Environment  (Protection)  Amendment  Rules, 2015 for thermal power plants in 2015 for installation of flue-gas desulfurization of FGD technology and if so, the details of the new emission standards notified in this regard;
- (b) whether the Central Electricity Authority has given more than three hundred thermal power  plants  two-to  five-year  reprieve  from  adhering  to  the  strict  air  pollution standards that come into force this year;
- (c) if so, the reasons for allowing to delay implementation of an existing environmental regulation;
- (d) the steps being taken by his Ministry to adhere to the strict air pollution standards by thermal power industry; and
- (e) whether about fourty five percent of the sulphur dioxide pollution from the industrial sector  comes  from  thermal  power  plants  and  if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the corrective measures taken by the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE (DR. MAHESH SHARMA)

(a) Ministry  of  Environment,  Forest  and  Climate  Change  (MoEF&CC)  notified  new emission  standards  for  Thermal  Power  Plants  (TPPs) vide S.O.3305  (E)  dated  07/12/2015 with  respect  to  Sulphur  dioxide  (SO2),  Oxides  of  Nitrogen  (NOx), and  Particulate  Matter (PM) etc.    The  above  Notification  does  not  specify  any  specific  technology  for  control  of these gases including for SO2 for which Flue Gas Desulphurisation (FGD) may be required.

(b) and (c)  Compliance with laid down standards is reviewed from time to time and in cases of  violation,  necessary  corrective  steps  are  taken.    In  case  of  Thermal  Power  Plants  the notification has not been amended with respect to PM, SO2 and NOx.  As per available data, 60% of identified  196  GW  capacity  is  in  compliance  with  respect  to  PM.    For  rest  of  the plants which are not in compliance with laid down norms, specific statutory directions have been issued for compliance in a time-bound manner.  The timelines with respect to various plants  have  been  laid  down  taking  into  account  proximity  to  habitations,  supply  side constraints, need to provide access to electricity to around 300 million people who still do not have access to it, combat indoor air pollution and to maintain the overall stability of power supply in the country.   It merits mention here that in general the ambient concentration of SO2, NOx are below permissible limits except few locations.

(d) and (e)   Contribution of Thermal Power Plants to SO2 concentrations in the ambient air varies  and  is  not  uniform  across  the  cities  and  depends  upon  a  number  of  other  factors. However,  thermal  power  plants  are  a  significant  contributor  to  Sulphur  dioxide  from industrial  sector.    Government  has  taken  a  number  of  measures  in  this  regard  including improvement in fuel quality and revision of environmental standards with respect to different industrial sectors.

<!-- image -->