Punjab’s coal power plants emit 10x more than stubble burning, still exempted : CREA

Punjab’s coal power plants emit 10x more than stubble burning, still exempted : CREA

Chandigarh 30 July ( Ranjeet Singh Dhaliwal ) : Despite proven benefits of flue gas desulfurization (FGD) in reducing sulfur dioxide (SO₂), PM2.5, and mercury emissions, and producing reusable gypsum for the cement industry, a majority of Punjab’s coal-fired power units have been exempted from installing this critical pollution control technology. Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) has raised concern over the same, stating that all 15 thermal power units in the state fall under exempted category, which would hence add to the alarming pollution levels in the state. Manoj Kumar, Analyst at the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, said, “Power plants are among the largest contributors to SO₂, secondary PM2.5 and mercury pollution. Exempting emission norms poses serious threats to public health, hampers progress toward NCAP goals, and limits the opportunity for industrial reuse through FGD gypsum.” India is the world’s largest emitter of SO₂, contributing nearly 20% of global anthropogenic SO₂ emissions. Coal-fired power plants account for 60% of India’s SO₂ output, as they burn 70% of the country’s coal. Emission norms introduced in 2015 mandated the use of FGD systems to cut SO₂ emissions from power plants, but after repeated extensions, a July 2025 notification has diluted these requirements. Under the latest rollback, Category C power plants are now completely exempted from installing emission control equipment and only need to meet stack height norms. Category B plants will be assessed on a case-by-case basis by the Environmental Appraisal Committee while Category A’s 2027 deadline remains.

Punjab’s power plants largely exempted : The state has 15 thermal power units totaling 5,680 MW. All these units fall under Category C and are exempted from pollution controls. Of the 15 power plant units in the state, 8 are owned by the state and 7 by private operators, and none of them have installed FGD systems. This means all 100% of the state’s coal power capacity could continue polluting without SO₂ controls.

Comparison with stubble burning emissions : Punjab burns about 7.49 million tonnes of paddy straw every year, which releases around 15 kilotonnes of SO₂ into the air. In comparison, coal power plants in the state emit nearly 135 kilotonnes of SO₂ which is nine times higher than stubble burning emissions. While stubble burning happens for just a few weeks in the year and stringent efforts are being made to reduce it, power plants have been given exemptions from installing pollution control systems. This means they continue to release harmful gases into the air throughout the year.

Air quality in Punjab is already under stress : CPCB monitors ambient air quality in eight cities across Punjab. Data from January-June 2025 shows that all eight cities exceed both PM2.5 National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) of 40 µg/m³ and PM10 standard of 60 µg/m³. IIT Delhi assessed the impact of power plants in all airsheds of India and found up to 7% of PM2.5 is contributed by power plants in Punjab airsheds. Further, IIT Bombay assessed at city level and found that 6 to 12 % of PM2.5 is from the power sector in the Dera Bassi, Khanna, Gobindgarh, Patiala, Ludhiana, Amritsar, Naya Nangal, Jalandhar, and Pathankot/Dera Baba cities. Further, all these nine cities are under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP). Exempting compliance will further delay the achievement of up to 40% reduction in pollution levels in NCAP cities.

Health and environmental impacts : Power plants are responsible for up to 1,185 premature deaths annually in Punjab during 2018. Moreover, studies show PM2.5 from power plants is twice as toxic as that from other sources. Coal power plants are also India’s largest industrial mercury emitters, releasing up to 186 tonnes annually - 40% of the national total. Wet FGDs can capture up to 30–40% of oxidized mercury, offering a significant co-benefit.

Untapped potential of FGD gypsum : FGD systems produce synthetic gypsum, a by-product that is chemically similar to natural gypsum and can fully meet India’s demand for gypsum in cement manufacturing. This supports circular economy goals by reducing reliance on mining and minimizing industrial waste. However, due to low compliance and widespread exemptions, this valuable resource remains largely unutilized.