With all the noise over Delhi's poorly framed end-of-life (EoL) vehicle policy fading, and the monsoon gifting the city a few clean-air days, it almost feels like happy days are here again. But the air pollution veil hangs over NCR year-round like a Damocles' sword. And it will soon return.
Two under-discussed issues stand out. First is the persistent failure to enforce SO₂ emission norms for coal-fired thermal power plants (CFPPs). These were first notified in 2015, requiring plants to instal flue gas desulphurisation (FGD) systems by 2017. That deadline has now been pushed to 2029 - after four extensions.
According to Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), by FY25, only 44 of 537 CFPP units had installed FGDs. Of the remaining 493, 77% were emitting SO₂ well above prescribed limits, while no data was available for 11% of the units.
Category A plants - within 10 km of NCR, or cities populated by 1 million-plus - recorded average SO₂ emissions of 991 mg/Nm³. Category B plants - near critically polluted or non-attainment cities - averaged 1,001 mg/Nm³. Category C plants, located outside these hotspots, averaged 1,014 mg/Nm³. All three exceed permissible thresholds, in some cases 1.5-10x, depending on the specific standard applicable.
A CREA comparison between CFPP emissions and paddy straw burning in Punjab and Haryana highlights the scale of the problem. CFPPs emit 277 kt of PM and 4,327 kt of SO₂ annually - over 10x and 240x, respectively, than the 26.7 kt of PM and 17.8 kt of SO₂ emitted by burning 8.9 Mt of paddy straw. While stubble burning causes seasonal spikes, CFPPs are a year-round, and far larger source, of pollution.
Despite this, the latest notification this month marks a significant rollback. While Category A's 2027 deadline remains, norms for Category B plants were diluted, with compliance now determined on a case-by-case basis based on recommendations from Environmental Appraisal Committee. Category C units were completely exempted from actual emission controls, and are now only required to meet stack height requirements.
'This progressive weakening contradicts the original intent of the 2015 regulation. Exempting 77% of coal-based capacity from pollution controls raises serious health concerns, not only for communities near the plants but also for those living hundreds of kilometres away, due to the transboundary nature of air pollution,' says CREA analyst Manoj Kumar.
The second blind spot is the brick kiln industry, especially across the Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP). Kilns contribute around 10% of PM2.5 emissions in IGP, and up to 20% if the broader MSME sector is included. Yet, the sector remains under-regulated, poorly supported, and largely absent from air pollution conversation.
Fired clay bricks dominate India's construction market, with 120-140 bn produced annually. Kilns in IGP burn 20-25 Mt of coal and biomass each year, releasing 30-40 Mt of CO₂.
Updated emission norms notified in 2022 mandate that kilns switch from fixed chimney designs to zigzag tech by February 2025. This design is a technique for firing bricks in which zigzag paths are used to pass hot air through raw bricks, improving heat transfer and efficiency. But implementation has been patchy. MoEF and pollution control boards haven't issued SOPs or technical guidance. There are no worker skilling programmes, no institutional support for technology upgrades, and little monitoring of kilns that claim to have switched.
Worse, the transition policy is hurting its own cause. In NCR, for instance, kilns - even those using cleaner tech - are allowed to operate only from March to June. This leads to increased imports of bricks from neighbouring districts. Kiln owners who had planned tech upgrades are now shelving those plans, given that a 4-month operating window makes such investment unviable.
While NCR's numbers may look better on paper, the broader airshed continues to suffer, made worse by poor access to cleaner fuels. Most kilns lie beyond piped gas networks. LPG, the only real alternative, requires costly retrofits and drives up fuel bills. Biomass briquettes and pellets are viable, but need kiln tweaks and a supply chain that doesn't yet exist.
State pollution control boards are stretched thin and unable to monitor thousands of small units. 'What's needed is not just enforcement but enablement - training, technical assistance, financial support, and realignment of private incentives with public goals. Working closely with MSMEs to improve operations and energy efficiency can significantly reduce both fuel use and emissions,' says Greentech Knowledge Solutions founder Sameer Mathiel.
Without robust compliance mechanisms and meaningful support - whether for cars, coal plants, kilns or crop fires - air quality will deteriorate. What's needed is patient, systematic effort. Hold polluters accountable, but also equip them to do better. Only then can the smog begin to lift.
kumkum.dasgupta@timesofindia.com
Two under-discussed issues stand out. First is the persistent failure to enforce SO₂ emission norms for coal-fired thermal power plants (CFPPs). These were first notified in 2015, requiring plants to instal flue gas desulphurisation (FGD) systems by 2017. That deadline has now been pushed to 2029 - after four extensions.
According to Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), by FY25, only 44 of 537 CFPP units had installed FGDs. Of the remaining 493, 77% were emitting SO₂ well above prescribed limits, while no data was available for 11% of the units.
Category A plants - within 10 km of NCR, or cities populated by 1 million-plus - recorded average SO₂ emissions of 991 mg/Nm³. Category B plants - near critically polluted or non-attainment cities - averaged 1,001 mg/Nm³. Category C plants, located outside these hotspots, averaged 1,014 mg/Nm³. All three exceed permissible thresholds, in some cases 1.5-10x, depending on the specific standard applicable.
A CREA comparison between CFPP emissions and paddy straw burning in Punjab and Haryana highlights the scale of the problem. CFPPs emit 277 kt of PM and 4,327 kt of SO₂ annually - over 10x and 240x, respectively, than the 26.7 kt of PM and 17.8 kt of SO₂ emitted by burning 8.9 Mt of paddy straw. While stubble burning causes seasonal spikes, CFPPs are a year-round, and far larger source, of pollution.
Despite this, the latest notification this month marks a significant rollback. While Category A's 2027 deadline remains, norms for Category B plants were diluted, with compliance now determined on a case-by-case basis based on recommendations from Environmental Appraisal Committee. Category C units were completely exempted from actual emission controls, and are now only required to meet stack height requirements.
'This progressive weakening contradicts the original intent of the 2015 regulation. Exempting 77% of coal-based capacity from pollution controls raises serious health concerns, not only for communities near the plants but also for those living hundreds of kilometres away, due to the transboundary nature of air pollution,' says CREA analyst Manoj Kumar.
The second blind spot is the brick kiln industry, especially across the Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP). Kilns contribute around 10% of PM2.5 emissions in IGP, and up to 20% if the broader MSME sector is included. Yet, the sector remains under-regulated, poorly supported, and largely absent from air pollution conversation.
Fired clay bricks dominate India's construction market, with 120-140 bn produced annually. Kilns in IGP burn 20-25 Mt of coal and biomass each year, releasing 30-40 Mt of CO₂.
Updated emission norms notified in 2022 mandate that kilns switch from fixed chimney designs to zigzag tech by February 2025. This design is a technique for firing bricks in which zigzag paths are used to pass hot air through raw bricks, improving heat transfer and efficiency. But implementation has been patchy. MoEF and pollution control boards haven't issued SOPs or technical guidance. There are no worker skilling programmes, no institutional support for technology upgrades, and little monitoring of kilns that claim to have switched.
Worse, the transition policy is hurting its own cause. In NCR, for instance, kilns - even those using cleaner tech - are allowed to operate only from March to June. This leads to increased imports of bricks from neighbouring districts. Kiln owners who had planned tech upgrades are now shelving those plans, given that a 4-month operating window makes such investment unviable.
While NCR's numbers may look better on paper, the broader airshed continues to suffer, made worse by poor access to cleaner fuels. Most kilns lie beyond piped gas networks. LPG, the only real alternative, requires costly retrofits and drives up fuel bills. Biomass briquettes and pellets are viable, but need kiln tweaks and a supply chain that doesn't yet exist.
State pollution control boards are stretched thin and unable to monitor thousands of small units. 'What's needed is not just enforcement but enablement - training, technical assistance, financial support, and realignment of private incentives with public goals. Working closely with MSMEs to improve operations and energy efficiency can significantly reduce both fuel use and emissions,' says Greentech Knowledge Solutions founder Sameer Mathiel.
Without robust compliance mechanisms and meaningful support - whether for cars, coal plants, kilns or crop fires - air quality will deteriorate. What's needed is patient, systematic effort. Hold polluters accountable, but also equip them to do better. Only then can the smog begin to lift.
kumkum.dasgupta@timesofindia.com
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