<Rt 6. t.uw.- 33004199 REGD. No. D. L.-33004/99 Che Gazette of India Hr.3f-3rTe.-37.-21052020-219495 CG-DL-E-21052020-219495 FqTETer EXTRAORDINARY AT [—@oE 3—I9-TE (ii)
PART II—Section 3—Sub-section (ii) ST & T PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY . 1400] 7% fReeht, qgeafaa, w21, 2020749 31, 1942 No. 1400] NEW DELHL THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2020/VAISAKHA 31, 1942 wfeRr, 9 3} ey afikadw e gt ¢ e, 21 7E, 2020 AT, 1561(37).—Sfh Fea 1 TEHIT F T (ezrn) Femraett, 1986 & o 5 % arg afse watEer (Fwe) afdfiee, 1986 (1986 1 29) #T 4m<T 3, 4T 6 #iT &TeT 25 F TEd duHT oTfRFT T TN FEA g, Ter WY (o F2) FT 34% T AT T AZT FAA FT ITAN T F For e forege et £ wfaae afvet wr aftefo 77 gu aa F e, amrare § arar 02 (&), AT 2 F==ET, 2014 FTT wAtEew (Fvam) FeammEdT, 1986 F w3 F sufvaw 8 &1 e WA fohem T wafd wrALf. 02 (), AT 2 ST, 2014 T IH AfAEAT gy et Te-fiaT 7% F== g Wl g a2 (@Rt Fen), e v areft Stde afererT (34%) & @idew AT 2T, T ITANT FIA K o FHIE e a7 Frer ararta qarw fEE 2143 GI/2020 ) 2 THE GAZETTE OF INDIA : EXTRAORDINARY [ParT II—SEC. 3(ii)] FE . P e A afy g (fe-&2) /AT @ & arT - TR = 3 e A ) T AT A e (R off | T e e A e T (2w, 2014 F AT F) f7 Hew aw w7 T W oomw R G owd® | g, A (100 FE AT AEF | gty wRfafrm =T d T ) sl & T s ERlkE Rl (@) 1000 Fft & wifarm 37 2 W, 2014 ¥ Tt &) 750-1000 feft 3 fi=r 1 =, 2015 & et () 500-749 et F = 5 39, 2016 Tt A s, e qeEwr § e (Geem) Semmet F G 5 % su-few (3) F A 9t AT (FTET) wfdfr=w, 1986 (1986 F1 29) #¥ 4T 6 € 4T 25 F wefiw woer orfEaAt w TART A PO AIA FOCTSUA, AT H o@ATE 3305 (), Avirm 7 fwEw, 2015 @ ar.#7.f.593 (%), AT 28 T, 2018 T FArga IeaveA v awar 7 g o A gearen A i @7 aa-ag A ¥ ara R v F v a0 g = £ Gt et F o TS WA A AR wor gas iy wewrer e em I Tl TAt=ww, 79 T ey aivEa weAve F e @ g {13 g, 2017 F7 TEIT #T TE TAT TATAT AT F Aqae Ao a1 g @o=0 F#v a7 2022 79 sguw Fr=or ST et w7 % o qetaw (gvem) afife, 1986 it arer 5 % qea R 9t w3 ¥ Fore v gt Pt G A Rt 7 Retere, 2017 3 A, F1-15017/40/2007-rfrwee Frer e fem) R s, fe woer § o At F g qg aeres e g 5 aga S ST F e g % " € a7 {3 T 28T G ¥ ST FAre-uer 7 0AT o § FEAT ITHRLOT T qEIAT g0 € A7 AT e Frer afirw Forewr A fasrmmr & www G s AT &; AT e T wr T aEeat i At Bt F arr weer F oo e e g A T T T (TS ) TR, ST TEvaErs # SdiY F SwA F for arfe st # T FITAT TAT &; 4 A F STANT T AT Iemasr weamm 27 s & a7 e @ # e FATE-Ter Hrdiz T, €2 =, wew e, @ 3 guei e gu eaet i e S T s Form Sr-fher aaeft S 2 ety S o forw s i o 7Y 2 e ver i A/ 34% a9 FATT TG AT ATLTFAT THWTT T FIA FT AATT F2 F for Gty et g vy Feft qom zenfz T ARATE (AT FAT 21 A S, e BT F A AT A G A & G wree ard ot 3w Fre T [T, AR AT AT ARt F g F o fiaw wy v w7 oy S ady TR SUH Y ZI-FE H Seer@na FHT ATE §, FIACT GATE THHRAT F FE TH FT TATATT SrAT § AT FAT AT T LATE-FAAT (AT T F1AA T TS AT T AEF G A T A T A [T [—=7 3(ii)] TR 7 T ¢ SR Forepe =t F o S F o o Ane v aF o q F A== (AT A AT FAT FA B AT g0 FAS A TR g & atadt § T=tF afam wreer £ i ae 727 w1/ 8 S aoft freen AT rAfareE FE FIE TTRTERAT I K, AFeE g ety qire # g1 I S, Froer wAer @7 g e § min agee B g i e 2 w5, 2014 # srferg=mT o7 T B gme, fepe St i ger gu e F v F oy afeafen ww w1 forerT ST erfera § S st a% sftger swar g fmw Fewer £ @+ £ gons F o FarsTeft % Seame & gy 2Rt i s, fift smr T ot frave F arerdiw, Fren @ww, afivEes dw B s Frer &7 @ A1 32§ @ G w7 fedw v F A e amat ® avgearg w@feea # 1 e BT g wefrradt set & anent wmfire w7 rwwe aftew g e Fwar g A T AT s e g # Aty g €, wien g s 3o sga £ gamn § a6 TIAT I IeTe T T (A FEAr afiw w5 grar € ges atwr § ere v (W) Frre FOT 3 AT qrer w o agfiT FTAT & i TR AT SUEnT AEr R S ', weer TS TR H AT T AfdE TAN g §, que go gan € Aoy et F fuew v T 9T g T g § i w6 a=r wren & e Aaofr e s=fore, qve amfiee TATE, AT AU, AT HE F T, AYATg @Y S ATAT G F 7@ @ {uem FTAT EAT &, FACT YATE FT TIATE(S, S (A =& e qoraedr, wo Fewt, a8 fwe o wfraeft A T o7 off wftge v gz & qerg wter & Gy seme £ aww 7 of 3t Eret & o F:rE qatawofis ary gty off 7 gram i s, AR smarvr 7 zmfer frafrer £ & fF watEofe @ agoor ame w1 et FIAT AT Ieg, @] FEAT Fwqer gem, R Frer & tor fr A wfveti G sy F e, wfvags T F ey o7 e IeEet F W ST s =t I S, T, A AT STAT TR AT HATAT ST HATEA, AT FATAT F ASATIAT, it aew @ w2 Rawwwr £ {OE o e =T T aEaeEE v e F aw st § et frewd o ag=r &— i) G Frer § er wrRft 7 7T T T E) Aoy F vor wrwdt &7 T (ATt 4 fera wom) § Brafom g ot § smtF fmr gem e frm e § s T ST €, Trer At 7 R e v e et g wee & e s g ii) T fErepa s wgm e, Ter werew 3 o Ay w & gt g g s IR FATE-T T AT wvw F O = awar aver w29 g, g v frormr <iv geforT R, o soam F R aees frew diw wg W\ # e fRrae e o e ar (2) e g i) T, A AT FAAT] TRAAT AT F I A e Ghw § e FH: AT AT A A awaag AT T 77wt w1 aew w7 F o afiafam AT AT 4 THE GAZETTE OF INDIA : EXTRAORDINARY [ParT II—SEC. 3(ii)] S S, wre Tor wee o7 e Tt aw fE gor e F e F fe 3o o Tt ATl Tt Wi AT qor Frrer £ Fien 3 R T s #re # qaeer T 2 I S, Frer WA ¥ aerae B § 5 wivEr avenfo #ifEe-19 wermv @i TEF AR 297 H SO SeqTaA F fOrT wrere & Y 7R A7 GenEd F T A F STAnT T ATALTFAT FT TAT gT AL AT g FF Tehrer aferegme sy 7 sy I, AT, FE T Tt (F2a) et 1986 F w5 % suttaw (4) % arr af A ST afifeT, 1986 (1986 T 29) F ST 3, AT 6 #F 4T 25 ¥ TEA A TR %7 ST FY g, SH AEmEet F w5 % gufvaw (3) F 9w () F qwd qEAr I A AfFATIAT #T gaT 3 F U TG H qAT=wor (wven) ey, 1986 Fv ARt wenfeia wva gu T e e e €,
1. (1) = et w7 wet=e (Fen) gerra FSeEamEet, 2020 F2r S
(2) T EEETT ToE F T g A AT ¥ A g
2. Tt (Fverm) emreet, 1986 #, fow 3 #, swfvew (8) F frw fwfeftm suftem “(8) AT freg =T A, Tor WA eroAT Y Wt wrgerat F o, et oat ¥ AT T F WA ¥ dgEiT gRi
(1) Seorstr wravet * forw s s it w i, AT aftREETe i F agEw e e g a9 S agEe ® s FafE wre F forg R st # 1 agras e ii. Aot F wme # el i aaforet & uwrfi(areli a@ 2gw) e ety g e § g frr s uwEE s F e e amfaet F forT ey & werer (e ST =R
2. 9T e T T i, AT RrEm e ger gu A 3 T g9 gu e 97 A= w7 F Fww weg-uer Tive (Wt fAregm seames awam) 7 afafvr awar £ qrrar wre G e, awe- T O S A E At § Tev-arfngfE ot w7 e w91 i, Trer rerer 3 forT ST Y T T AgEer A g W W THTT @ Er;
iii. = AreEE I AT wATE-Ter T Afwaw swAn gt w9 F forr wra Afiee FRAfH=t F ATenTT UF Ter FT AR TAF-R N qAerTF (SrfifaEaT) =T a7 fre Eul iv. T fEE o s 2() F wemfia, ey ge oA = A (afEr Aveem) # (T TTErRT ZTT QT ST ST0) AT AT ST o AT AT H Frer #7 [T [—=7 3(ii)] TR 7 T ¢ SR i. T g v 30 (e srrar Gl s wremw @ gu Yo a9) di/errar - & T ¥ g g AT (FAY) G & FAA T AARH FHAT SO0 AT, ST A T IR/ F TOREIAAY SUCY ARl BT SAT, AF Tvae gt grer e @ S fawarer e Gl o wremw & 79 g En ii. T fRrre we g g fer e i (F) ¥ FAAT FAAL GIOT AL F v g T # v Teen aey v eI e AT Fera? G et g @7 (=) A% Yo qAT FET AT F dgIersar F w1 qi"e 7 g, v ag giwfera fr s B wefa @ % Rt o & frea w1 af=gT o g Zat (e worar Gft s wremm grn), saan Peft o g ST w T e FETEN
(4) =¥ faefm af 2020-21 @7 T av2 ¥ forw wefie afveemrar g T ratEei St #1 afafra o o ww=r s Wi wtEier St st G s artn T &Y o ForT UL STt AT WA AT S W) AEEe HeE e e ygu e TS FIT ST T AT ST Y A [, 13014/01/2020—3m5m-1()] Rroqur—ger fRror e F T § AT 844(), AT 19 A=A 1986 FIT WA Ry T AT =TT elte HATAT. 82(F), ATE 16 wIAL, 1987; ;AT 64(%), A 18 SaeY, 1988; @AM 931(w), aTfr@ 27 «w@v,1989; Fr.am. 23(«), AT 16 S, 1991; ATAT. 95(ar), ATAr 12 WAy, 1992; =AY, 329(x), aE 13 T, 1992; TrATHY. 562(ar), AT 27 WE, 1992; ATARY. 884(ar), AT 20 wHAT, 1992; =m.#T.F. 386 (), AT 22 wwir, 1993; WAL, 422 (), AT 19 75, 1993;
arar . 801 (), ATt 31 Rwaw, 1993; amATf. 320 (), AT 16 =T, 1994;
AT . 560 (=), ATt 19 R, 1997; vy 378 (@), arfrm 30 9, 1998;
aran . 07 (), arfrm 22 fwaw, 1998; =AY, 407 (), aTfra 31 WS, 2001;
ar AT Y. 826 (aF), ATrE 16 wHA=w, 2009; ATATHY. 513 (@), A 28 W, 2012;
ara . 02 (&), T 02 S, 2014; FT.am. 3305 (), AT 07 fw=w, 2015;
ar T, 593 (a1, AT 28 T, 2018; ¥ FT.AT. 236 (), AT 16 T, 2020 FIT fir T MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE NOTIFICATION New Delhi, the 21st May, 2020 S.0. 1561(E).—Whereas the Central Government had, in exercise of its powers under Section 3, Section 6 and Section 25 of Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 (29 of 1986) read with rule 5 of Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986, published draft rules further to amend sub-rule (8) of rule 3 of Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986, in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, vide number G.S.R. 02(E), dated the 6 THE GAZETTE OF INDIA : EXTRAORDINARY [ParT II—SEC. 3(ii)] 2™ January, 2014 mandating certain categories of thermal power plants to use coal with ash content restricted to 34%.
And whereas, the said Notification vide number G.S.R. 02(E) dated the 2*® January, 2014, mandated coal based thermal power plants to use raw or blended or beneficiated coal with ash content not exceeding thirty-four percent (34%), on quarterly basis, by the time lines given below:
SL No. |Category of Power Plant Distance of location of Thermal |Time lines Power Plant from pit-head/coal mine
(a) |Stand-alone Thermal Power Plants Located in urban areas, or|Witheffect from (any capacity), and ecologically sensitive areas or critically polluted areas, irrespective of distance from pit-head, except pithead power plants.
2 June, 2014.
Captive Thermal Power Plants (with capacity of 100 MW and above)
(b) beyond 1000 km With effect from 2 June, 2014.
(© between 750-1000 km ‘With effect from 1* January, 2015.
(d) between 500-749 km With effect from 5™ June, 2016.
And whereas, the Central Government had, in exercise of its powers under sections 6 and 25 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 (29 of 1986) read with sub-rule (3) of rule 5 of the Environment (Protection) Rules, in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, vide number S.0. 3305 (E), dated the 7% December, 2015 and G.SR. 593 (E), dated the 28" June, 2018 published the emission standards and specific water consumption for various category of thermal power plants, based on capacity of power generation and date of installation of power plant and to be achieved in time bound manner.
And whereas, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change directed the Central Pollution Control Board vide F.No.Q-15017/40/2007-CPW dated the 7% December, 2017 to issue Directions under Section 5 of Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, to various Thermal Power Plants to install pollution control equipment as per the revised plan submitted by the Ministry of Power dated the 13™ October, 2017 by 2022.
And whereas, the Ministry of Power has, inter alia, represented that with advancement in pollution control technologies, thermal power plants are better equipped to capture fly-ash generated in combustion process and unwashed coal can be used more efficiently and economically; thermal power plants are designed for coal with wide variety of ash content and are equipped with dry ash evacuation, handling and supply systems for ash utilisation; using washed coal makes power generation costlier; fly ash generated in thermal power plants is being used in several beneficial uses like cement manufacturing, brick making, road laying, back-fill material for reclamation of mine voids and low lying areas; requirement of maintaining average ash content to 34% prompts industries to undertake import of coal, resulting in outflow of foreign exchange etc.
And Whereas, the Ministry of Coal has, inter alia, represented that the coal mines are constantly striving to improve raw coal in terms of quality, size and extraneous material over the years which has considerably reduced wear and tear of all related equipment, coal washing process involves multiple handling and avoidable road transportation of huge quantities of coal from coal mines to washeries and then to rail sidings for onward transport to power plants; the washing process only divides the coal into washed coal and washery rejects while the ash content of mined coal remains the same; use of low grade coal washery rejects, in the multiple small user industries, generates more pollution etc.
And Whereas, the Ministry of Coal and Ministry of Power have, therefore, represented that the mandating power plants to use washed coal requires to be revisited by reconsidering the notification dated the 2™ January, 2014 which will help ease power generation for long distance haulage of coal without adverse impact on the environment.
And Whereas, the NITI Aayog, in its report after analysing the issue from the perspective of washeries, Coal mining, transportation and consumption of coal at power plants has, infer alia, summed up that use of washery rejects in nearby industries generates more pollution; since washery rejects are distributed in number of smaller industries, the pollution control at numerous points is more difficult than controlling the [T [—=7 3(ii)] TR 7 T ¢ SR pollution at power plant end; Ash generated in the washing process pollutes water along with coal particles and cannot be gainfully utilised; Coal washing process involves increased water use, effluent generation; Disposal of washery rejects has negative environmental impact as it has to handle and dispose huge quantity of low grade coal washery rejects, liquid effluent streams, coal storage, handling coal dust, runoff and fugitive dust; Coal washing also adversely impacts topography, water drainage pattern and quality, water bodies, surrounding air quality at large scale; Washing process increases the cost of power generation with no commensurate environmental advantages etc.
And Whereas, NITI Aayog has, therefore, recommended that it may be prudent to determine and enforce the environmental and pollution norms, to be complied with by the power generators, rather than restricting the ash content in coal, based on distance of transportation.
And Whereas, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, after deliberating the representations from Ministry of Power, Ministry of Coal, report of NITI Aayog and various stakeholders and after careful considerations & in larger public interest, arrived at the following:
@) The extent of ash content in mined coal remains the same. With washeries, the ash content gets divided at two places (washeries and the power plant), whereas if unwashed coal is used in power plant, the ash content is handled at only one place viz. the power plant;
(i) Thermal power plants are technologically equipped to address pollution control, ash management as they have high efficiency equipment to capture fly ash, dry ash evacuation and handling systems, ash supply systems for ash utilisation and tall stacks for wider dispersal of flue gases;
(iif) The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has notified emission norms, mandating respective thermal power plants to adhere to such norms in a time bound manner;
And Whereas, it is expedient to adopt best possible framework towards handling of unwashed coal including management of fly ash and other associated environmental aspects arising out of processing of unwashed coal at different stages.
And Whereas, the Ministry of Coal has represented that in view of the existing unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic and the resultant immediate requirement of utilization of domestic coal by stimulating coal sector demand for power generation in the country, it is desirable to issue the notification at the earliest.
Now, therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred by Section 3, Section 6 and Section 25 of the Environment Protection Act, 1986 (29 of 1986) read with sub-rule (4) of rule 5 of the Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986, the Central Government, after having dispensed with the requirement of notice under clause (a) of sub-rule (3) of rule 5 of the said rules, in public interest, hereby makes the following rules to further amend the Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986, namely :-
1. (1) These rules may be called the Environment (Protection) Amendment Rules, 2020
(2) They shall come into force on the date of their publication in the Official Gazette.
S In the Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986, in rule 3, for sub-rule (8), the following sub-rule shall be substituted, namely :- “8) Use of coal by Thermal Power Plants, without stipulations as regards ash content or distance, shall be permitted subject to following conditions:
[6)) Setting Up Technology Solution for emission norms:
@ Compliance of specified emission norms for Particulate Matter, as per extant notifications and instructions of Central Pollution Control Board, issued from time to time.
(iD) In case of washeries, Middling and rejects to be utilized in FBC (Fluidised Bed Combustion) technology based thermal power plants. Washery to have linkage for middling and rejects in Fluidised Bed Combustion plants.
@) Management of Ash Ponds:
(i) The thermal powers plants shall comply with conditions, as notified in the Fly Ash notification issued from time to time, without being entitled to additional capacity of fly ash pond (for existing power generation capacity) on ground of switching from washed coal to unwashed coal.
(i) Appropriate Technology solutions shall be applied to optimise water consumption for Ash management;
THE GAZETTE OF INDIA : EXTRAORDINARY [ParT II—SEC. 3(ii)]
(iii) The segregation of ash may be done at the Electro-Static Precipitator stage, if required, based on site specific conditions, to ensure maximum utilization of fly ash;
(iv) Subject to 2(i) above, the thermal power plants to dispose flyash in abandoned or working mines (to be facilitated by mine owner) with environmental safeguards.
A3) Transportation:
@ Coal transportation may be undertaken by covered Railway wagon (railway wagons covered by tarpaulin or other means) and/or covered conveyer beyond the mine area.
However, till such time enabling Rail transport/conveyer infrastructure is not available, road transportation may be undertaken in trucks, covered by tarpaulin or other means.
(i) It shall be ensured by the thermal power plant that a. Rail siding facility or conveyor facility is set up at or near the power plant, for transportation by rail or conveyor; and b. If transportation by rail or conveyor facility is not available, ensure that the coal is transported out from the Delivery Point of the respective mine in covered trucks (by tarpaulin or other means), or any mechanized closed trucks by road.
(4) This shall also be deemed to be additional conditions of the relevant Environmental Clearances for respective projects for financial year 2020-21 and onwards. The existing Environmental Clearances shall stand modified so as to make the above conditions operative for relevant sectors.
The Consent to Operate shall be issued by respective State Pollution Control Boards accordingly.” [F-No.13014/01/2020-IA.(T)] GEETA MENON, Jt. Secy.
Note:-The principal rules were published in the Gazette of India vide number S.O. 844(E), dated the 19th November, 1986 and subsequently amended vide numbers S.O. 82(E), dated 16th February, 1987; S.0. 64(E), dated18th January, 1988; G.S.R. 931(E), dated 27th October, 1989; S.0. 23(E), dated 16th January, 1991; G.S.R. 95(E), dated 12th February, 1992; G.S.R.329(E), dated 13th March, 1992; G.S.R. 562(E), dated 27th May, 1992; G.S.R. 834(E), dated 20th November, 1992; G.SR. 386(E), dated 22nd April, 1993; G.SR. 422(E), dated 19th May, 1993; G.SR.
801(E), dated 31st December, 1993; G.S.R. 320(E), dated 16th March, 1994; G.S.R. 560(E)., dated 19th September, 1997; G.S.R. 378(E), dated 30th June, 1998;G.S.R. 7(E), dated 22nd December, 1998; G.S.R. 407(E), dated 31st May, 2001; G.S.R. 826(E), dated 16th November, 2009; G.SR. 513(E), dated 28th June, 2012; G.S.R. 02(E) dated 2nd January, 2014; S.O. 3305 (E), dated 7th December, 2015; G.S.R. 593(E), dated 28th June, 2018 and S.O. 236 (E), dated 16th January, 2020.
Uploaded by Dte. of Printing at Government of India Press, Ring Road, Mayapuri, New Delhi-110064 and Published by the Controller of Publications, Delhi-110054. ALOK KUMAR S