New Delhi, April 9 -- The Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas (CAQM) has imposed Environmental Compensation (EC) of around Rs. 61.85 crore on six Thermal Power Plants (TPPs) located within a radius of 300 km of Delhi. The step was taken for non-compliance with statutory provisions mandating the use of 5% blend of biomass pellets or briquettes made of paddy straw along with coal.

The Environmental (Utilisation of Crop Residue by Thermal Power Plants) Rules, 2023 mandate all coal-based TPPs to utilise a 5% blend of biomass pellets or briquettes along with coal, with a minimum threshold of 3% co-firing prescribed for FY 2024-25, to avoid imposition of Environmental Compensation. These statutory provisions were n...