Environment takes back seat: MoEFCC extends SOx compliance deadline again

  • September 7, 2022
  • Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
  • Category: DPN Topics
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Environment takes back seat: MoEFCC extends SOx compliance deadline again

Subject : Environment

Section :Pollution

  • The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEf&CC) September 5, 2022 once again granted more time to the thermal power plants for meeting the sulphur dioxide (SOx) standards.
  • Thermal power plants within 10 kilometres of the Delhi-National Capital Region or cities with million-plus populations were supposed to meet the SOx standards by the end of this year.
  • In the case of retiring plants, the deadline for PM and NOX remains the same. The deadline for meeting the SOx norms for retiring plants was extended till 2027 by the latest notification.
  • Central Electricity Authority (CEA), which is the regulator and monitoring agency for implementation of emission norms, only reports on SOx standards. No information is available in the public domain on compliance with PM and NOX norms.

Flue Gas Desulphurisation (FED):

  • Removal of Sulfur Dioxide is called as Flue-gas Desulphurization (FGD).
  • It seeks to remove gaseous pollutants viz. SO2 from exhaust flue gases generated in furnaces, boilers, and other industrial processes due to thermal processing, treatment, and combustion.
  • FGD systems may involve wet scrubbing or dry scrubbing.
  • In wet FGD systems, flue gases are brought in contact with an absorbent, which can be either a liquid or a slurry of solid material. The sulfur dioxide dissolves in or reacts with the absorbent and becomes trapped in it.
  • In dry FGD systems, the absorbent is dry pulverized lime or limestone; once absorption occurs, the solid particles are removed by means of baghouse filters.

Sulfur Dioxide Pollution

  • According to a report by Greenpeace (an environmental Non-Governmental Organization), India is the largest emitter of Sulphur Dioxide (SO2) in the world
  • The primary reason for India’s high emission output is the expansion of coal-based electricity generation over the past decade.

Source:

  • The largest source of SO2 in the atmosphere is the burning of fossil fuels by power plants and other industrial facilities.
  • Smaller sources of SO2 emissions include: industrial processes such as extracting metal from ore; natural sources such as volcanoes; and locomotives, ships and other vehicles and heavy equipment that burn fuel with a high sulfur content.

Impact: SO2 can affect both health and the environment.

  • Short-term exposures to SO2 can harm the human respiratory system and make breathing difficult. People with asthma, particularly children, are sensitive to these effects of SO2.
  • SO2 emissions that lead to high concentrations of SO2 in the air generally also lead to the formation of other sulfur oxides (SOx). SOx can react with other compounds in the atmosphere to form small particles. These particles contribute to particulate matter (PM) pollution.
    • Small particles may penetrate deeply into the lungs and in sufficient quantities can contribute to health problems.

Central Electricity Authority

  • The Central Electricity Authority (CEA) is a statutory organization constituted under Section 3 (1) of the repealed Electricity (Supply) Act, 1948 and continued under Section 70 of the Electricity Act, 2003.
  • It was established as a part time body in 1951 and made a full time body in the year 1975. As per Section 70 (3) of the Electricity Act, 2003, the authority shall consist of not more than 14 members, including its chairperson of whom not more than eight shall be full time members to be appointed by the Central Government.
  • The CEA is headed by a chairperson who, as the Chief Executive of the authority, oversees largely the development of power sector in the country.
  • It advises the government on matters relating to the National Electricity Policy (NEP) and formulates short-term and perspective plans for the development of electricity systems.
  • It is the designated authority for cross border trade of electricity.
  • It also prescribes the standards on matters such as construction of electrical plants, electric lines and connectivity to the grid, safety and grid standards and installation and operation of meters.
  • It is also responsible for concurrence of hydro power development schemes of central, state and private sectors for efficient development of river and its tributaries for power generation.
Environment Environment takes back seat: MoEFCC extends SOx compliance deadline again