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The Hindu
12-07-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Environment Ministry exempts 78% of coal plants from installing key anti-polluting systems
The Environment Ministry has exempted the majority of India's thermal power plants from installing flue gas desulphurisation (FGD) systems, which are designed to cut sulphur dioxide (SO 2 ) emissions. Flue gas, a residue from thermal power plants, emits SO 2 , which can mix in the atmosphere and create secondary particulate matter. These are linked to air pollution. There are about 180 thermal power plants in India. A single plant can have multiple units. Now on, only about 11% of India's 600 thermal power plant (TPP) units have to mandatorily install FGD systems. These plants, called 'Category A', are the ones located within 10 km radius of the National Capital Region or are cities with a population of at least a million (2011 Census). Originally, these plants were to have put in place FGD systems by 2017 but have been given multiple extensions to comply. The latest – as per a gazette notification this week – is December 30, 2027. Another 11% of TPPs, called Category B – located within 10 km radius of critically polluted areas (CPA) or non-attainment cities (NAC) – may or may not have to install FGD. This would depend upon a decision by a committee of experts (Expert Appraisal Committee) – an existing body constituted by the Environment Ministry that grants environment clearances to proposed coal plant projects. Category B plants that comply with the EAC norms have a deadline of December 30, 2028, to install the FGD. CPA are regions or industrial clusters that are extremely polluted and deemed so according to a specified criteria by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). NAC – there are 131 of them – are those that have the worst air quality and haven't met the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for at least five years. The remaining 78% of thermal power plants , or 'Category C', and are now exempt from installing FGD. The updated rules regarding the installation of FGD are exactly in line with the recommendations of an expert committee constituted by Principal Science Adviser Ajay Sood this April. The Hindu had reported on this. Several hurdles Last month, Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said the Central Pollution Control Board was examining this committee's recommendations and would be taking a call on the future of FGD. Only about 8% of India's TPPs have installed FGD units. The limited number of vendors capable of installing such equipment in India, the high installation costs, the potential rise in electricity bills, and disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic have been some of the reasons historically cited by the Power Ministry, the overseer of India's TPPs, for the plants' inability to adhere to previous deadlines. In theory, the costs of non-compliance could run to crores of rupees in fines, though these have not materialised thanks to deadline extensions. The guiding principles behind the committee's recommendations were: SO 2 levels in ambient air across the country are around 10-20 micrograms/cubic metre, well below India's air quality norms of 80; Indian coal is low in sulphur; SO 2 levels in cities near plants with operational FGD units do not differ significantly from those without these units, and all of these were anyway well below permissible levels. The committee had said that the concerns about sulphates – a potential by-product when SO 2 emissions reach certain atmospheric levels, thus forming particulate matter (PM) – are unfounded. They cited an analysis of 5,792 PM samples across the country, which found 'low elemental sulphur' content (max 8 micrograms/m3 after outlier removal), which was deemed 'insignificant — for considering PM removal as a benefit of FGD'. 'The CPCB and MoEFCC (Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change) should have carried out a more diligent benefit cost assessment of the retrofit for SOX control. With nearly 15% of India's ambient PM2.5 attributable to the combustion of coal, this latest notification is a short-sighted one that is not founded in the science of how and where PM2.5 forms, especially from large stacks,' Kartik Ganesan, an expert on energy and environment, at the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), a think tank, told The Hindu. Manoj Kumar, who has researched the FGD's impact at the Centre for Research and Energy on Clean Air, criticised the decision. 'Power plants are known to impact areas 200 kilometres away from their location. Thus, they are a source of transboundary pollution, regardless of the category they fall into. Additionally, using tall chimneys is not an effective pollution-control measure; it merely disperses sulfur dioxide higher into the atmosphere, where it eventually forms toxic fine particles. This decision will affect millions of lives in India by increasing the risk of lung and heart diseases,' he told The Hindu.
The Hindu
03-07-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
‘Strong deterrent measures needed from government to tackle anti-microbial resistance'
In tackling the anti-microbial resistance (AMR) challenges India faces, the difficulty to enforce the existing guidelines has been posing an issue, said Ajay Sood, Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, while addressing the media at an AMR Innovation Workshop held by The Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP). 'Over-the-counter sale of antibiotics is the biggest culprit. We also have fake doctors who prescribe antibiotics. Many people think doctor consultation is a waste. But a pharmacist cannot replace a doctor. People also feed antibiotics to their animals prophylactically, which then gets passed downstream through food products,' he said urging for stronger deterrent measures from the government. Noting that the power of new technology will prove to be extremely useful in biosciences, Mr. Sood said that quantum computing will be a game changer in drug discovery. Building new solutions Taslimarif Saiyed, Director-CEO, C-CAMP, noted that building new solutions was important to tackle the AMR challenge, along with enforcement. He pointed out that Karnataka is now developing its own State Action Plan AMR. 'One of the efforts that has been happening under the aegis of the Office of the PSA, as well as the Department of IT/BT - Government of Karnataka is to build solutions. 'Today, the diagnostic cost is much higher than the antibiotic cost. It also takes a long time to get results and determine which antibiotic to prescribe. If we have solutions that can do quick detection at a lower cost and decide which antibiotic to give, people will rather go through a scientific way of diagnostics instead of directly going to pharmacist and taking antibiotics. Launch of AMR Challenge The event saw the launch of One Health AMR Challenge 2025 by C-CAMP, with the support of the International Centre for Antimicrobial Resistance Solutions (ICARS), to identify, support, and scale breakthrough technologies tackling AMR across human, animal, and environmental health. Selected innovations will receive financial support ranging from ₹40 lakhs to ₹2 crores based on technology readiness. Comprehensive technical assistance—including regulatory, legal, IP, manufacturing, and market readiness support will also be provided. The workshop held by C-CAMP under the aegis of the India AMR Innovation Hub (IAIH), brought together over 50 key stakeholders from academia, industry, government, and the public health ecosystem. Innovations including Pocket PCR devices, air sterilisation systems, and paper-based lateral flow tests were featured. 'Our recently unveiled Biotech Policy identifies AMR as a key focus area for intervention, reflecting the Government of Karnataka's commitment to addressing this challenge through innovation and collaboration. We need a collective, coordinated effort to tackle AMR, and what I see here today through the India AMR Innovation Hub is a promising start — many stakeholders coming together in one room, collaborating to address a shared challenge,' said Ekroop Caur, Secretary, Department of Electronics, Information Technology, Biotechnology, and Science & Technology, Government of Karnataka.
Hans India
29-06-2025
- Science
- Hans India
AMTZ's S&T cluster highlighted as India's eight strategic innovation hubs
Visakhapatnam: In a significant boost to Vizag's growing scientific stature, the Andhra Pradesh MedTech Zone (AMTZ) placed the city on India's science and technology map, said MD and Founder CEO of AMTZ Dr. Jitendra Sharma. Sharing the Vizag Science and Technology Cluster's broader mission, Dr. Jitendra Sharma said, 'The Vizag S&T Cluster is a catalyst for convergence—linking science, industry, and innovation. We're translating this synergy into self-reliant healthcare solutions that advance Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat.' During a high-level meeting held in New Delhi, the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, Prof. Ajay Sood released the Science and Technology (S&T) Clusters Annual Report 2024–25, featuring the Vizag Science and Technology Cluster based at AMTZ as one of the country's eight strategic innovation hubs. Launched in 2024, the Vizag Science and Technology Cluster is the youngest of India's S&T Clusters but has already made its mark by fostering collaboration across medical technology, automation, circular economy, advanced materials, and e-waste management. Spearheaded by AMTZ, the cluster brings together researchers, startups, industry, and academic institutions to create scalable impact through technology. Located within Asia's largest medical technology park AMTZ, the Vizag S&T Cluster launched several impactful initiatives. Among them is a sustainable e-waste management facility 'e-yantram' being developed in collaboration with the National Metallurgical Laboratory (NML), supporting scientific collection, dismantling, and recycling of electronic waste. Beyond infrastructure, the cluster is fostering collaboration between industry and academia through initiatives like the Vizag S&T Cluster Industry Meet.
Time of India
28-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
MedTech Zone Puts Vizag on the Science Map of India
Visakhapatnam: In a major boost to Vizag's growing scientific stature, the Andhra Pradesh MedTech Zone (AMTZ) has firmly placed the city on India's science and technology map. During a high-level meeting in New Delhi, the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, Prof. Ajay Sood, released the Science and Technology (S&T) Clusters Annual Report 2024–25, featuring the Vizag Science and Technology Cluster based at AMTZ as one of the country's eight strategic innovation hubs. Launched in 2024, the Vizag Science and Technology Cluster is the youngest of India's S\&T Clusters but has already made its mark by fostering collaboration across medical technology, automation, circular economy, advanced materials, and e-waste management. Spearheaded by AMTZ, the cluster brings together researchers, startups, industry, and academic institutions to create scalable impact through technology. At the meeting, Dr Jitendra Sharma, MD and founder CEO of AMTZ and anchor of the VSTC, shared the cluster's broader mission. "The Vizag S&T Cluster is a catalyst for convergence—linking science, industry, and innovation. We're translating this synergy into self-reliant healthcare solutions that advance Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Ask A Pro: "I'm 70 with $1.4M in IRAs. Should I convert $120K/Year to a Roth?" SmartAsset Undo Located within Asia's largest medical technology park, AMTZ, the Vizag S\&T Cluster has launched several impactful initiatives. Among them is a sustainable e-waste management facility, 'e-yantram', being developed in collaboration with the National Metallurgical Laboratory (NML), supporting scientific collection, dismantling, and recycling of electronic waste. In cardiac care, it has advanced the indigenous development of pacemaker leads through a technology transfer, and other efforts are underway to localize device manufacturing and reduce import reliance. Beyond infrastructure, the cluster is fostering collaboration between industry and academia through initiatives like the Vizag S&T Cluster Industry Meet. The S&T Clusters Annual Report 2024–25 outlines key achievements from clusters across Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune, NCR, Jodhpur, Bhubaneswar, and Chandigarh—but Vizag's rapid ascent within a year of inception is being seen as a model of how science and innovation can be localized for maximum national benefit.
The Hindu
28-06-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
Vizag Science and Technology Cluster advancing ‘Make in India' initiatives: AMTZ managing director
Andhra Pradesh MedTech Zone (AMTZ) managing director and founder-CEO Jitendra Sharma said the Vizag Science & Technology Cluster (VSTC) based at AMTZ is a catalyst for the convergence of science, industry and innovation. The AMTZ is translating this synergy into self-reliant healthcare solutions that advance 'Make in India' and 'Atmanirbhar Bharat', he added during a high-level meeting in New Delhi recently, according to a release here on Saturday (June 28). Spearheaded by AMTZ, the cluster brings together researchers, startups, industry and academic institutions to create scalable impact through technology, he said. He further said the cluster launched several impactful initiatives. Among them is a sustainable e-waste management facility 'e-yantram' being developed in collaboration with the National Metallurgical Laboratory (NML), supporting scientific collection, dismantling and recycling of electronic waste. In cardiac care, it has advanced indigenous development of pacemaker leads through technology transfer, he added. Beyond infrastructure, the cluster is fostering collaboration between industry and academia through initiatives like the Vizag S&T Cluster Industry Meet, he added. In the meeting, Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India Ajay Sood released the Science and Technology Clusters Annual Report 2024–25, featuring the VSTC, one of the country's eight strategic innovation hubs, launched in 2024. The annual report outlined key achievements from clusters across Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune, NCR, Jodhpur, Bhubaneswar and Chandigarh apart from Visakhapatnam.
