Lok Sabha Question No. 203 (STARRED), answered on 2025-12-15
Subject: EIA Report on Thermal Power Plant at Chausa, Bihar
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Shri Sudhakar Singh

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

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 203

TO BE ANSWERED ON 15.12.2025

## EIA Report on Thermal Power Plant at Chausa, Bihar

## *203. SHRI SUDHAKAR SINGH:

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

- (a) whether  the  Government  is  aware  of  the  assessment  of  the  environmental  impact  of  the thermal power plant at Chausa (Buxar in Bihar) such as air pollution, dust emissions, fly ash dispersion, water use and effluent disposal;
- (b) if so, the key findings or a summary of the detailed Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report;
- (c) whether the said power plant operations are likely to affect farmer's agricultural land, crops, soil quality, groundwater levels and river-based irrigation systems adversely;
- (d) if so, the details of scientific studies conducted till date; and
- (e) the details of the preventive measures and safely provisions, such as fly ash management, dust control system and others implemented by the Government to protect farmers and the environment?

## ANSWER

MINISTER FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI BHUPENDER YADAV)

- (a) to (e): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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## STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (e) OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 203 RAISED BY SHRI SUDHAKAR SINGH REGARDING EIA REPORT ON THERMAL POWER PLANT AT CHAUSA, BIHAR DUE FOR REPLY ON 15.12.2025.

(a) to  (d):      The  Super Critical  Buxar  Thermal Power Plant  (BTPP)  [2x660  MW]  of M/s. SJVN Thermal  Private  Limited  at  Village Chausa,  District Buxar,  Bihar  has  undergone  detailed Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) study  as  a  part  of  Environment  Clearance  (EC)  process, which included site specific studies such as baseline data assessment, hydrological studies for areadrainage, socio-economic studies, risk assessment with mitigation measures and disaster management  plan.  The  EIA  report,  inter-alia,  involved  environmental  impacts  of  the  project including impact on ambient air, water, noise, land use, soil, flora and fauna etc. The corresponding Environment Management  Plan (EMP) duly addressed the impacts through  necessary  mitigation measures such as fugitive emissions control in the coal crusher units and coal storage silos by bag filters, water sprinkling in dust prone areas, adoption of Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD), provision of acoustic enclosures for turbines and generators, provision for 100% fly ash utilization and installation of advanced emission control systems etc. The project was duly appraised by the Expert Appraisal Committee  and  Environmental  Clearance (EC) was  granted on 28 th February, 2017  after incorporating  the  necessary  general  and  specific  conditions  comprising  necessary  environmental safeguards.  There is no significant impact on agricultural land, crops, soil quality, groundwater levels as  reported  by  the  Bihar  State  Pollution  Control  Board  (BSPCB)  based  on  the  hydrological assessment done by Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Roorkee. At present, the project has been implemented and Commercial Operation Date (COD) for the first unit of 660 MW was achieved on 14 th  November, 2025 and for the second unit of 660 MW is under progress.

(e): The BTPP adopts Super Critical Technology to reduce the air emissions and pollution control systems such as High-efficiency Electrostatic Precipitators (ESP) for Particulate Matter (PM), Flue Gas Desulphurization (FGD) for Sulphur Dioxide (SO2), Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) for Nitrogen  Oxides  (NOx),  275  meters  stack  height  for  wider  dispersion  of  air  pollutants,  dust suppression in pollution-prone areas, reuse of wastewater after treatment by Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) and  Sewage Treatment Plant,  Zero Liquid  Discharge  (ZLD),  dry  fly  ash  handling  system through storage silos with Bag Filters and green belt development all along the periphery of the plant boundary followed by continuous online monitoring of Ambient Air Quality and stack emissions through dedicated Environment Management Cell (EMC) of the project proponent. The compliance of the environmental safeguards prescribed in the EC and Consent to Operate (CTO) is ensured by the Sub-office of MoEF&CC at Patna and BSPCB, respectively.

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