On July 11, 2025, India’s Union Environment Ministry published a new notification affecting 537 thermal power plants (TPPs) based on coal- and lignite-fuels. This announcement has provoked considerable discussion about what it indicates concerning air quality management, since it has relaxed regulations requiring flue gas desulphurization (FGD) systems to control sulphur dioxide (SO₂) emissions. After extensive consultations with research institutions and other stakeholders to review the appropriateness of the stringent SO₂ norms, the ministry issued its revised notification. The Environment Ministry defends sulphur dioxide exemption for coal plants, stating that the decision aligns with current data and environmental realities.

 Source: CPCB

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Scientific Justification

In areas near TPPs, SO₂ contributes only 0.96%–5.21% to PM2.5 and 0.57%–3.67% to PM10, according to studies conducted by institutions like IIT Delhi and NEERI. The ministry referred to these findings to argue that SO₂ plays a relatively limited role in influencing air pollution-related health issues under existing ambient conditions.

Therefore, regardless of the extent of the regulatory change, it must take into account the actual value of SO₂ in contributing to particulate matter formation and whether it may or may not affect public health impacts.

Revised Compliance Framework

• Category A: FGDs will be required for TPPs located within 10 km of Delhi-NCR or cities where the population exceeds one million. Seventeen of these are already built.
• Category B: TPPs in or near (i.e., 10 km of the Boundary Layer) Non-Attainment Cities or Critically Polluted Areas (CPAs), wherein FGDs will be at the discretion of the government.
• Category C: All other TPPs, which are the majority, are exempt from complying with the requirement for FGDs (and do not require securing a disposal and environmental clearance), provided they declare compliance with the height of stack needed requirements by December 31, 2029.

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Ministry’s Rationale

The ministry characterized the exemptions as a “rational, evidence-based recalibration,” intended to achieve economic viability as well as environmental stewardship. The ministry asserted that applying FGDs as a requirement at all plants would require unreasonable expenditures, given the historical drop in ambient SO₂ levels and its minor influence on PM2.5.

The new approach concentrates its efforts on a regime of interventions targeted at emissions and sustainability goals. The Environment Ministry defends the sulphur dioxide exemption for coal plants by citing cost-benefit balance and data-supported impact assessments.

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Commitment to Air Quality

To reaffirm its commitment to evidence-based decision-making, the ministry noted that this upgrade is a change in the focus of resources and not a reversal of protections. It also emphasized that co-benefits and mitigation strategies are part of the larger air quality issue. Unfortunately, despite the ministry’s efforts, many environmentalists are still worried that relaxing SO₂ standards in urban environments will hamper work towards cleaner air in cities and surrounding regions across India.

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