NGT directs Badarpur, Rajghat plants to control high PM levels

The National Green Tribunal today directed Badarpur and Rajghat Thermal Power Stations to bring particulate matter (PM) within permissible limits after an inspection report highlighted their high content in the ambient air around these projects.
A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar asked the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) to issue notices to these thermal power plants.
The Tribunal's direction came while perusing a report by a team of CPCB, DPCC and a representative from the Environment Ministry which had inspected all major government power and thermal projects in the capital.
According to the report, the stack monitoring analysis showed that particulate matter (PM) in the Badarpur coal based plant's IIA unit was exceeding the standard of 150 mg/Nm3 in some days of the year while at Rajghat plant all the units exceeded the standard of 150 mg/Nm3 most of the time.

Particulate matter is the sum of all solid and liquid particles suspended in air, many of which are hazardous.
The Tribunal was hearing a petition filed by advocate Vardhaman Kaushik who had contended that "the level of particulate matter in Delhi is rising manifold".

During the hearing, Kaushik sought urgent intervention from the Tribunal seeking remedial measures to curb the air pollution.
The green panel had earlier directed the team to take samples of ambient air quality around all major government power and thermal projects in the capital and suggest remedial measures if the emission was found to be in excess.

The green tribunal had earlier said that steps are required to be taken for ensuring quality of emissions released directly by government projects like Indraprastha, Badarpur and Raj Ghat, thermal power project and even other major plants run by the government and its instrumentalities within the standards prescribed by law.
It had also sought suggestions as to how the air pollution in Delhi can be checked immediately and the method by which ambient air quality can be restored to clean air standards.