The government has instructed all the three power stations in the Capital to use only the specified environmentally friendly quality of coal from January 1.
As per the cabinet decision, the power stations in Delhi must use only coal of category D or a better grade from January 1, 1998, and only washed coal with not more than 34 per cent ash content from January 1, 1999, official sources said.
Coal used in thermal stations has been categorised into several categories A,B,C,D,E and F according to their calorific value. The cabinet has decided that right from the new year day, the thermal power stations in Delhi must starting using coal which is not inferior to grade D, and a year after that, they must switch over to the kind that has been washed down to 34 per cent, as regards the ash content.
There is already a government notification, issued in September, which restricts use of the inferior quality coal by power plants in the country. But this notification is to come into force from June 1, 2001. But, Delhi is being treated as a special case in view of an alarming rise in the pollution level and, sources said, the Prime Minister wanted remedial measures be introduced in the city at the earliest.
As per the September notification, all power stations of the specified categories, all over the country, must use coal washed down to at least 34 per cent of the ash content by June 1, 2001. Violations are to attract punitice measures under the environment (protection) act.
The condition would apply to all power plants located at a distance of 1000 km or beyond from the pithead, those located in urban areas and those located in critically polluted areas.
Since time is short and the desired washed coal has to be supplied from January 1, 1999, officials in the coal and power ministries are perturbed about meeting the deadline.
A high level meeting in this regard is to be held soon to sort out issues which would cover not only the supply linkages but also the price parameters.
The three plants in Delhi are Badarpur (705 mw), Indraprastha ( 277 mw) and Rajghat (149 mw). Their requirement of washed coal has been assessed at five million tonne annually.
The cabinet decision, revising the deadline set by an earlier notification, makes Delhi a special case in view of the growing pollution menace
