CAQM issues show-cause notices, imposes fine on 6 coal plants near Delhi for biomass co-firing lapses

New Delhi: The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has issued show-cause notices to six coal-based thermal power plants located within a 300-km radius of Delhi for non-compliance with mandatory biomass co-firing norms, proposing environmental compensation of about Rs 61.85 crore, the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change said on Tuesday.

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The action follows a detailed review of compliance for FY 2024–25, based on data provided by the Ministry of Power, under the Environment (Utilisation of Crop Residue by Thermal Power Plants) Rules, 2023.

Mandatory biomass co-firing norms and enforcement

The 2023 rules require all coal-based thermal power plants to co-fire a minimum of 5 percent biomass pellets or briquettes made from crop residue, with a prescribed threshold of more than 3 percent for FY 2024–25 to avoid the imposition of environmental compensation.

The ministry said these statutory provisions were introduced to promote ex-situ management of paddy straw, curb stubble burning, and mitigate air pollution in the National Capital Region and adjoining areas. It added that CAQM has issued multiple statutory directions since 2021, including Direction No. 42 dated September 17, 2021, and has monitored compliance through periodic reviews and inspections.

Plants found non-compliant

Despite repeated directions, CAQM found biomass co-firing levels at six thermal power plants to be well below mandated thresholds during FY 2024–25. These include the Talwandi Sabo Power Plant in Mansa district of Punjab, operated by Talwandi Sabo Power Limited, a Vedanta Group company, for which environmental compensation of about Rs 33.02 crore has been proposed.

In Haryana, three state-owned plants operated by Haryana Power Generation Corporation Limited (HPGCL) were found non-compliant. These include the Panipat Thermal Power Station at Panipat, with proposed compensation of about Rs 8.98 crore, the Deenbandhu Chhotu Ram Thermal Power Station at Yamunanagar, with proposed compensation of about Rs 6.69 crore, and the Rajiv Gandhi Thermal Power Plant at Hisar, for which compensation of about Rs 5.55 crore has been proposed.

The Guru Hargobind Thermal Power Plant at Lehra Mohabbat in Punjab, owned and operated by Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL), has been issued a show-cause notice proposing environmental compensation of about Rs 4.87 crore.

In Uttar Pradesh, the Harduaganj Thermal Power Station, owned by Uttar Pradesh Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Limited (UPRVUNL), has been issued a notice proposing compensation of about Rs 2.74 crore.

Taken together, the total environmental compensation proposed across the six plants amounts to approximately Rs 61.85 crore.

Prior warnings and Supreme Court directions

CAQM said that since the issuance of Direction No 42, it has repeatedly reviewed compliance with thermal power producers and other stakeholders. Observing persistent non-compliance and in light of directions of the Supreme Court, the commission said it issued notices under Section 14 of the CAQM Act, 2021 to four thermal power plants in early 2024 whose performance remained consistently poor.

The commission also flagged concerns with seven power plants and relevant authorities and constituted a committee to examine representations submitted by non-compliant plants for FY 2024–25.

15-day deadline for response

The concerned power plants have been directed to submit their written explanations within 15 days from the date of issue of the show-cause notices, failing which further action may be initiated under the provisions of the Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas Act, 2021.

Reiterating its position, CAQM said biomass co-firing is a critical intervention for effective management of crop residue and for reducing air pollution in NCR and adjoining areas, and that it will continue strict enforcement of statutory directions to ensure sustained compliance by regulated entities.

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