Coal plants in India set to miss pollution goal as smog chokes Delhi

 If fully implemented, such systems could cut India’s emissions of the pollutant by almost two-thirds, benefiting air quality and public health, according to the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air.

Sulfur dioxide breaks down into sulfates, which can account for almost a third of the particulate mass that forms India’s smog, according to Manoj Kumar, an analyst at the Finland-based research group. 

About 20 gigawatts worth of coal plants near cities face the December deadline. Other generators near critically polluted areas must comply by end-2025, and the remainder a year later.

 The Ministry of Power is preparing to seek a third extension of the deadline, as well as an exemption for plants that have fewer than 10 years to run, according to the people.

 Less than 10 per cent of the nation’s total 218-gigawatt coal power fleet currently has the pollution control equipment installed.