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India Can Save 1.2 Lakh Lives by Curbing Power Plant SO₂
7 May
Summary
- 124,564 deaths annually preventable by mitigating SO₂ emissions from coal plants.
- Reduced emissions could lower PM2.5 exposure and ambient SO₂ levels across states.
- Vulnerable groups like OBC, SC, ST may see greater air quality improvements.
A comprehensive study by IIT Delhi researchers, published in Nature, reveals that India could avert approximately 124,564 deaths each year by fully mitigating sulfur dioxide (SO₂) emissions from coal-fired power plants (CFPPs). This research quantifies SO₂'s contribution to both ambient levels and the formation of harmful secondary fine particulate matter (PM2.5).
Reducing these emissions could decrease annual PM2.5 exposure by up to 12 microgrammes per cubic metre and ambient SO₂ by up to 13.6 parts per billion across various Indian states. Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka are projected to see the highest number of avoidable deaths due to high population exposure.
The study emphasizes that the benefits of cleaner air are not evenly distributed. Communities including Other Backward Classes, Scheduled Castes, and Scheduled Tribes, along with lower and middle-income groups, are expected to experience more substantial air quality gains. This finding positions SO₂ mitigation as a critical environmental equity issue.
Globally, SO₂ emissions from CFPPs declined between 2005 and 2021, but India moved in the opposite direction, with emissions rising significantly. The study advocates for stricter enforcement of SO₂ emission norms, wider adoption of flue gas desulphurisation (FGD) systems, and prioritisation of pollution hotspot regions to improve air quality and public health.
