CAQM issues show cause notices to six thermal plants near Delhi over biomass co-firing
The Commission for Air Quality Management on 23 December 2025 issued show cause notices to six coal-based thermal power plants within 300 km of Delhi, three of them in Haryana, proposing about ₹61.85 crore in environmental compensation for low biomass co-firing.
Summary
The Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas (CAQM) on 23 December 2025 issued show cause notices to six coal-based thermal power plants within 300 km of Delhi for failing to meet biomass co-firing norms in FY 2024–25, proposing environmental compensation of about ₹61.85 crore. The plants are three in Haryana (Panipat, Yamunanagar and Hisar), two in Punjab, including Talwandi Sabo in Mansa with the largest proposed compensation of about ₹33.02 crore, and Harduaganj in Uttar Pradesh. The Environment (Utilisation of Crop Residue by Thermal Power Plants) Rules, 2023 require coal-based plants to use a minimum 5% blend of crop-residue pellets or briquettes, with more than 3% co-firing needed in FY 2024–25 to avoid compensation; the plants have 15 days to reply.
Key facts
- Date
- 23 December 2025
- Plants
- 6 coal-based TPPs within 300 km of Delhi
- Proposed compensation
- About ₹61.85 crore in total
- Haryana plants
- Panipat, Deenbandhu Chhotu Ram (Yamunanagar), Rajiv Gandhi (Hisar)
- Largest
- Talwandi Sabo, Mansa (Punjab), about ₹33.02 crore
- Rule
- 2023 Rules: minimum 5% crop-residue blend; >3% for FY 2024–25
Practice MCQs 2 questions
Under the Environment (Utilisation of Crop Residue by Thermal Power Plants) Rules, 2023, coal-based thermal plants must use a minimum blend of crop-residue pellets or briquettes of:
Show answer
Correct answer: A — 5%
PIB 2207853: the 2023 Rules mandate all coal-based TPPs to use a minimum 5% blend of biomass pellets or briquettes made of crop residue along with coal.
Which thermal power plant faced the largest proposed environmental compensation in CAQM's show cause notices of December 2025?
Show answer
Correct answer: D — Talwandi Sabo Power Limited, Mansa
PIB 2207853: Talwandi Sabo Power Limited (Vedanta), Mansa, Punjab faced a proposed EC of about ₹33.02 crore, the highest of the six.