Jairam Ramesh slams NITI Aayog over call to pause emission-reducing gear

Congress leader and former Union environment minister Jairam Ramesh on Friday said sulphur dioxide emissions from power plants contributed significantly to air pollution and any argument suggesting that such emissions were of no concern to public health in India was ridiculous.

His remarks came over a media report, which claimed the NITI Aayog had proposed halting the fitting of equipment to cut sulphur emissions at coal-fired power plants.

However, there was no official word from the NITI Aayog.

In a post on X, Ramesh said India was the world's largest emitter of sulphur dioxide and these emissions from power plants contributed significantly to air pollution.

"A decision had been taken earlier that the power plants must install fluoride gas desulpharisers. First, a deadline of 2017 was fixed. This was later extended to 2026. Now it appears that the all-knowing NITI Aayog wants the deadline scrapped altogether," the Congress general secretary in-charge communications said.

"To argue that sulphur dioxide emissions are of no concern to public health in India is ridiculous -- especially at a time when the consequences of pollution are so visibly evident across India's cities," Ramesh said.