India’s Repeated Delays in SO₂ Emission Norms: A Never-Ending Saga

Understanding the Issue: Why Do SO₂ Emissions Matter?

• Sulphur dioxide (SO₂) is a harmful gas released from coal-based power plants.
• It causes air pollution, leading to breathing problems, lung diseases, and acid rain.
• To control this pollution, the Indian government introduced new environmental rules in 2015, setting limits on SO₂ emissions from thermal power plants.
• However, these rules have faced constant delays in enforcement, allowing power plants to continue polluting for nearly a decade without consequences.

Latest Postponement: What Happened in December 2024?

• On December 30, 2024, India’s Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) extended the deadline for power plants to follow SO₂ norms by three more years—now set for December 31, 2027.
• This decision was made without any official reason, even though the existing deadline for 20 GW of power plants (located in densely populated areas) was just one day away—on December 31, 2024.
• This is the fourth time the deadline has been pushed, raising concerns about whether the norms will ever be enforced.

A Brief History of SO₂ Emission Norms in India

1. Initial Rules (2015)

• The MoEFCC introduced new environmental norms for thermal power plants in December 2015.
• These rules included:
  • Stronger limits on particulate matter emissions (small particles that cause air pollution).
  • SO₂ emission limits for the first time to reduce pollution.
• The norms were designed to match standards in Australia, China, and the U.S..
• Power plants were originally required to comply by December 2017.

2. The Debate Over Compliance

• Indian coal has lower sulphur content, which should have made it easier for power plants to meet SO₂ norms.
• However, instead of focusing on how to comply, the debate shifted to why compliance is difficult, particularly:
  • The high costs of installing Flue Gas Desulphurisation (FGD) systems, which remove SO₂ from emissions.
  • The long installation time required for FGDs.
  • Increased coal usage due to FGD operations, leading to higher greenhouse gas emissions.

3. Conflicting Government Reports

• Various government agencies complicated the debate instead of ensuring compliance:
  • Central Electricity Authority (CEA) Reports (2020 & 2021) – Suggested that SO₂ norms should be phased out till 2035 instead of being applied uniformly across the country.
  • IIT Delhi Study (2022) – Confirmed that FGDs improve air quality but recommended deadline extensions due to high costs and supply chain issues.
  • NITI Aayog Study (2024) – Argued that SO₂ norms are not necessary for good air quality and recommended focusing on particulate matter emissions instead.

Impact of Repeated Delays

1. Confusing and Unfair Deadlines

• The December 2024 notification is the fourth extension of SO₂ emission deadlines.
• Different deadlines now apply to different pollutants and locations:
  • Particulate matter emissions deadline: December 31, 2024 (some plants had to comply as early as 2022 and 2023).
  • SO₂ emissions deadline: Pushed to December 31, 2027.
• Lack of enforcement – There is no public data showing whether plants are following even the existing rules.

2. Consumers Are Paying for Unused Equipment

• Many power plants have already ordered FGDs to meet the older deadlines.
• Electricity regulators have allowed power plants to pass FGD costs to consumers—raising electricity bills.
• Key concern: Even after installing FGDs, power plants may not operate them because running FGDs increases costs, making them less competitive.
• Result:
  • Consumers pay for equipment that might not even be used.
  • Residents near power plants continue to suffer from SO₂ pollution for at least three more years.

3. Health and Environmental Damage

• SO₂ pollution is deadly, especially for people living near power plants.
• It leads to:
  • Breathing problems, asthma, and lung infections.
  • Acid rain, which damages soil and water.
  • Formation of toxic secondary pollutants in the air.

Conclusion: A Never-Ending Delay with Serious Consequences

The repeated postponement of SO₂ emission rules shows a failure of governance. Instead of enforcing regulations, the government has allowed years of debates, industry lobbying, and delays, putting public health at risk.

At this rate, it is unclear if these pollution controls will ever be fully implemented. Meanwhile, electricity consumers bear the financial burden, and millions of people continue to breathe polluted air.

This situation is like Birbal’s khichdi—a slow-cooking dish in an old Indian tale—except in this case, the public pays the price, and the pollution remains.