The Supreme Court on Tuesday declined to directly hear a plea seeking the mandatory, time-bound rollout of emission-control equipment across major coal-fired power stations, asking the petitioner instead to seek relief from the National Green Tribunal.
A three-judge bench presided over by Chief Justice Surya Kant, alongside Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana, stated that the issues raised in the application fall squarely within the jurisdiction of the environmental tribunal and can be effectively addressed there.
Tribunal Urged to Prioritise Interim Relief
While clarifying that it had expressed no opinion on the underlying merits of the case, the bench stated that it would ask the tribunal to examine the petitioner’s plea for interim relief on a priority basis and issue appropriate orders.
The petition sought binding directives for the Union government and other authorities to guarantee the expeditious installation and operation of flue gas desulphurisation systems across all Category A thermal power units nationwide. Flue gas desulphurisation equipment is deployed in coal-burning power stations to curtail sulphur dioxide discharges and ensure adherence to statutory environmental regulations.
Repeated Extensions and Health Concerns
Legal counsel representing the petitioner argued before the court that the timeline to comply with the desulphurisation requirements has been repeatedly deferred, exposing citizens to serious health risks resulting from ongoing industrial pollution. The bench noted the petitioner’s submission that the latest extended compliance window is slated to expire in 2027.
To ensure compliance, the petition also sought the appointment of a high-powered committee charged with tracking the physical installation progress of the systems and enforcing regulatory emission limits across designated facilities.
Regulatory Framework and Plant Classification
The statutory requirement dates back to December 2015, when the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change issued an official notification outlining emission benchmarks for thermal power generation.
Under the regulatory classification, Category A thermal power stations include all coal-fired facilities situated within a 10-kilometre radius of the National Capital Region or near urban centres with a population of one million or more.
