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Delhi's Air Crisis: Power Plants Ignored for Decade
13 Dec
Summary
- No emissions monitoring of 11 power plants near Delhi for over a decade.
- Plants spew pollutants unchecked despite 2015 emission standard mandates.
- RTI reveals significant regulatory failure in pollution control oversight.
As Delhi grapples with hazardous air quality, a recent RTI response reveals a shocking decade-long lapse in monitoring of 11 coal-based thermal power plants within a 300-km radius. These facilities, crucial sources of pollutants like sulfur dioxide and particulate matter, have not undergone comprehensive stack-emission monitoring since 2015. This oversight allows major polluters to operate without accountability, significantly worsening the region's air pollution crisis.
The Central Pollution Control Board's admission highlights a profound gap in regulatory enforcement, as these plants were mandated in 2015 to install Flue Gas Desulphurisation systems. Studies indicate these plants release significantly more sulfur dioxide than stubble burning, contributing heavily to Delhi's persistent smog and associated health issues. The lack of consistent monitoring means pollution levels are effectively unmeasured and uncontrolled.
Environmentalists decry this failure, emphasizing that without measurement, effective control is impossible. The ongoing situation, where thermal power plants operate with impunity due to a lack of regulatory oversight and enforcement, directly impacts public health in one of the world's most polluted regions. This critical absence of accountability underscores the need for immediate regulatory reform and strict enforcement of emission standards.
