Badarpur plant to remain closed

Badarpur Thermal Power Station. file photo

The Badarpur Thermal Power Station (BTPS), which was first shut in November to control air pollution, will remain closed till further orders, the Delhi government said on Friday.

The power station was shut down on November 7, 2016 in the wake of the worst smog episode that Delhi had witnessed in decades.

Initially, the power station was supposed to remain closed till November 16, but it was later extended till January 31, 2017. On January 31, the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) extended the closure until “further orders”.

On Friday, Environment Minister Imran Hussain said that with the prevailing air quality in Delhi, the plant would not be opened soon.

The power plant has five units, of which the DPCC had given operation permission to only two units of 210 megawatt each. When the plant was closed in November, only one unit was operational.

Action plan

In addition to the Delhi government’s actions, based on the Graded Response Action Plan to combat air pollution that was drafted by the Central Pollution Control Board, the Environment Pollution Control Authority had issued directions to the DPCC to keep the power plant shut till further orders.