Challenges, recommendations for meeting 2017 norms for air pollution from thermal power plants in India

February 21, 2017

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By Rahul Tongia

Brookings India became the Centre for Social and Economic Progress (CSEP) on September 10, 2020. This work was done before the transition.

In this Brookings India IMPACT Series paper, Rahul Tongia and Deborah Seligsohn discuss the challenges for India in meeting the upcoming 2017 standards for air pollution from
thermal power plants. While these new environmental norms are a welcome step in reducing emissions and are in line with global standards, gaps still remain in their viability and implementation.

One needs a feasible roadmap for installation of required equipment, the authors recommend, in addition to improvements in norms that incentivise if not mandate dispatching cleaner coal first. This requires a multi-stakeholder discussion as soon as possible, bringing together not just power plants and the government but also state utilities and grid operators.

This paper draws from a related discussion on lessons between Brookings India Fellow Rahul Tongia and UC San Diego scholar and environmental policy expert Deborah Seligsohn from China for India’s new power plant pollution norms. The discussion is available online in the form of a video.

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