Badarpur Thermal Plant to remain shut

The Delhi government, keeping in view the existing air quality in the national Capital, has decided to extend the closure of the Badarpur Thermal Power Plant.

Earlier on January 31, Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA) asked the government to ensure the closure of plant, which is a major source of air pollution in the city.

The decision was taken in a meeting of the Environment Department chaired by the Environment Minister Imran Hussain and attended by senior officials of the Department and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee.

There are five units, comprising three units of 95 MW each and two unit 210 MW in Badarpur Thermal Power Plant. Out of these five units, the DPCC had allowed the operation of only two units of 210 MW each subject to meeting with the prescribed standard of Particulate Matter i.e. 50 mg/Nm3 (called Normal metre cube).

Similarly, all the three units of 95 MW, which were not capable to meet the stringent standards of 50mg/Nm3 were not allowed to operate and were shut down. In fact, out of the five units, only one unit of 210 MW was operating in November, 2016.

The government at that time had issued directions under section 31 A of Air Pollution (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act 1981, for closure of all the units of the power plant till January 31.

During a meeting of the Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA) here, Power Secretary Varsha Joshi insisted that the coal-based plant, considered a major source of air pollution in the city, needs to operate till the Tughlaqabad sub-station is commissioned to meet the city's summer demand.

However, EPCA member Sunita Narain, the Director General of CSE, made it clear that the sub-station has to be commissioned within a time-frame and there has to be a permanent closure plan for the NTPC-run Badarpur plant.

Sources said NTPC, which operates the plant, has received no fresh communication from the government to resume its operations.

However, Environment Secretary Chandraker Bharti refused to comment on the issue.

At the Environment Pollution Prevention and Control Authority (EPCA) meeting on January 20, he had made it clear that the plant will remain shut unless there is any power crisis in the city.

"We want the plant to remain shut, especially since there is no power crisis in the city. Keeping it shut has helped considerably in keeping pollution in check. There is no need to run it," EPCA Chairman Bhure Lal had said.