Nearly 78 per cent of the coal power capacity in India is not liable to meet emission norms before 2024.
The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has released the final list of the coal thermal power plants and their categorisation in line with the ministry’s April 2021 notification.
In April 2021, the MoEF&CC amended the 2015 notification to put coal thermal power plants under three categories, determining the ‘third-time’ revised deadline for meeting emission norms.

After eight months of delay, the task force appointed to categorise the plants has finalised the list.
Coal thermal power plants contribute to over half sulphur dioxide (SO2) concentration, 30 per cent oxides of nitrogen (NOx), 20 per cent particulate matter (PM) in the ambient air.