India may once again fall short of its target to control sulfur emissions, a significant greenhouse gas. The slow pace of technology installation to remove sulfur at its source is a major concern. Currently, only 5 percent of thermal power plants in India have installed sulfur-removal technology, and more than 50 percent of plants have not even started the feasibility study, despite the deadline being just a year away.

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has extended deadlines multiple times for coal-fired power plants to adopt flue-gas desulfurization (FGD) technology. FGD is designed to remove sulfur from the exhaust flue gases of fossil fuel-fired power plants, and it is particularly critical because around half of India's power generation relies on fossil fuels.

Recent data reveals that only 23 out of a total of 600 units in coal-fired power plants have installed FGD technology over the past eight years. Approximately 50 percent of these units have not even initiated feasibility studies or bidding processes.

Indian thermal power plants are responsible for 80 percent of industrial emissions of harmful sulfur and nitrous oxide. India is the world's second-largest producer of sulfur gas after Russia, and sulfur gas is known to have adverse effects on the human respiratory system, particularly in children. The World Health Organization estimates that it causes 4.2 million deaths worldwide each year.

The Ministry of Environment issued the first notification to coal-fired plants regarding the installation of FGD technology in 2015. Subsequent notifications were issued in 2017 and 2021. Recently, the government established different timelines for various categories of coal-fired power plants, with targets ranging from December 2024 to December 2026.

Union Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav attributed delays in FGD technology adoption to various techno-economic challenges faced by thermal power plants, including the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.