New Delhi: Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has detected significant emission violations at two thermal power plants in Haryana and Punjab, both within a 300-km radius of Delhi.The Haryana plant faces an interim environmental compensation assessment of Rs 31.4 crore, while the Punjab unit has been directed to undergo a similar compensation assessment.The findings revealed in CPCB letters dated June 23, 2026, which were recently accessed through an RTI filed by activist Amit Gupta, relate to Deen Bandhu Chhotu Ram Thermal Power Project at Pansara in Haryana’s Yamuna Nagar and Guru Hargobind Thermal Power Plant in Punjab’s Bathinda.At the Haryana plant, CPCB conducted stack-emission monitoring of its two 300-MW units on Feb 10 and 11 this year. It found that against the prescribed PM limit of 50 mg/Nm³, unit-1 recorded 63.9 mg/Nm³, while the second unit had a reading of 1,939 mg/Nm³, nearly 38.8 times the permissible limit.CPCB’s direction issued on June 23, 2026, records an interim environmental compensation of Rs 31.4 crore, calculated on electricity generation during the assessed non-compliant period. The plant generated 786.6 million units during this time, with compensation calculated at Rs 0.40 per unit. The order says the compensation amount may vary depending on the plant’s subsequent compliance.“These are very high emission levels round the year. These plants haven’t even installed flue gas desulphurisation devices. One can imagine their impact on health and environment,” said Gupta.CPCB has issued a show-cause notice under Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, asking the plant to explain why compensation should not be imposed for violation of the revised PM standards.During CPCB’s inspection of the Bathinda plant on Nov 3, 2025, PM emissions in units 1, 3 and 4 exceeded prescribed limits. Unit 3 recorded 102.5 mg/Nm³ and the fourth unit 102.7 mg/Nm³. The nitrogen oxides reading was also above the limit in units 3 and 4, at 553.2 mg/Nm³ and 632.5 mg/Nm³, respectively, against a prescribed limit of 450 mg/Nm³.CPCB also found that the installation of the plant’s online continuous emission monitoring system did not conform to its guidelines, the third unit’s gas analyser was faulty, proper stack-monitoring facilities were unavailable, dust suppression and housekeeping were inadequate, and its ash water recovery system had non-functional components.In its June 16, 2026, direction, CPCB stopped short of specifying a final environmental compensation amount for Bathinda. Instead, it directed Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) to obtain unit-wise daily electricity-generation data from Nov 3, 2025, and use it to calculate the interim compensation. PPCB was also directed to provide details of compensation levied and collected for non-compliance from Feb 7, 2025.An action taken report has been sought within a month.
