New thermal power plants will have to comply with emission standards: NGT

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the union environment ministry to not grant environmental clearance to any new thermal power plant unless they comply with emission standards notified in December 2015.

The principal bench of NGT also directed the MoEFCC to not grant any environmental clearance to new thermal power plants unless they show mechanisms in place to implement and achieve the emission standards and water consumption requirements as stipulated in the new notification, said a statement from Legal Initiative for Forest and Environment (LIFE).

The standards were to be implemented within two years of the date of notification—December 7, 2015. The notification categorises thermal plants into three categories—those installed before December 31, 2003, those installed after 2003 but before December 31, 2016 and those installed after January 1, 2017.