New emissions standards for thermal power plants were notified in December 2015. Plants had to comply by December 2017 — but failed. Having dragged their feet for over two years, power plants now have yet another opportunity to comply over a five-year period that ends in 2022. But the pathway to implementation remains unclear.
Air quality is no longer a seasonal irritant, nor solely the concern of environmentalists. A public health crisis is looming. It will adversely impact public and private spending on health care, make India’s cities less attractive for investment, and weaken long-term productivity, thanks to an unhealthy population.
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