PMK youth wing leader and Rajya Sabha MP, Anbumani Ramadoss, on Thursday expressed shock over a report that people in Tamil Nadu are suffering high levels of pollution because of the toxic gases emitted by thermal power plants.
In a statement, he condemned the thermal plants for not following norms to retrofit all coal-based plants with the Flue Gas Desulfuriser and said posing risks to human lives was not acceptable.
Mr. Anbumani said the State government should explore options of shifting to alternative sources like wind and solar energy, and revise its energy-producing policy.
Except for the thermal plants under construction, the State government should announce that no new thermal power projects would be implemented, he urged. Instead, the government should pursue a shift towards hybrid generation of wind and solar power and also take measures to convert coal-based plants to gas- based plants, Mr. Anbumani suggested.
He also urged the Tamil Nadu government to immediately ensure all coal-based plants are retrofitted with the Flue Gas Desulfuriser.
