In a bid to tackle air pollution resulting from crop burning, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Wednesday asked the governments of Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan to come up with ‘workable solutions’ along with the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC).
Source for fuel
After submissions made by the counsel appearing for the NTPC, a Bench headed by NGT chairperson Swatanter Kumar observed, “The NTPC will be willing to use in its power plants the pellets of agriculture residue with permissible moisture. However, it may not be possible for the NTPC to use agriculture residue directly as a source for fuel in their power plants. If the States cooperate fully, this can provide an implantable solution to the problem of crop residue burning and consequent pollution of air.”
Further, the green panel stated that a committee constituted by it should convene a meeting and discuss the viability of using crop residue as a source of fuel.
The Bench said the committee should deliberate on whether “every State should or should not be directed to establish its own pelletisation plant for agriculture residue to make it fit for use by the NTPC. In the meeting, the NTPC and others should deliberate on adaptation of the technology required for agriculture residue pellets for generation of power at the plants.”
The Tribunal also directed the committee to provide recommendations with regard to the proper mechanism for transportation of agriculture residue.
Incentives for farmers
Additionally, the committee has also been asked to provide details of incentives that will be provided to farmers. Meanwhile, all States have been asked to provide a list of existing thermal power plants or bio-mass based energy plants that are already operational or have been proposed.
Directing that a meeting to be held on November 28, the green panel said the committee will comprise Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture; Principal Secretaries from the States concerned from the Ministry of Agriculture; a senior scientist from BHEL; the Managing Director of the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED) and the Additional Secretary from the Ministry of Energy.
