On February 26, 2020 State run power-giant NTPC (National Thermal Power Corporation Limited) signed an MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) with CPCB (Central Pollution Control Board) to provide financial support for installation & commissioning of Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations (CAAQMS). The data collected from these stations will be used as inputs for Air Quality Index evaluation for the respective cities.
The MoU was signed by Prashant Gargava, CPCB, Member Secretary and Ravi V Babu, General Manager (Corporate Environment Management), NTPC.Key Points:
i.NTPC will provide financial support of Rs 80 crore for installation of 25 CAAQMS across 6 states and 3 Union Territories (UTs).
ii.6 States: CAAQMS will be installed in Gwalior (Madhya Pradesh), Ranchi (Jharkhand), Patna (Bihar), Varanasi, Lucknow, Kanpur & Allahabad (all in Uttar Pradesh [UP]), Pimpri Chinchwad (Maharashtra) and Madurai (Tamil Nadu).
iii.3 UTs: CAAQMS will also be installed in Andaman & Nicobar Islands (Port Blair), Dadra & Nagar Haveli (Silvassa) and Daman & Diu (Daman).
iv.NTPC has also implemented technology to convert Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) into high Gross Calorific Value (GCV) fuel that can be co-fired in conventional boilers at its Dadri Plant in Delhi NCR. NTPC has commissioned its first FGD unit at Vindhyachal, and is in the process of implementing this eco-friendly technology across all its power plants.
About CAAQMS:
CAAQMS will act as the ‘control station’ (i.e. it will monitor air quality at an ideal situation) and its readings will be calculated as a benchmark of quality.
It monitors the different pollutant analysers and its calibrations units. The device is equipped with UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) along with a backup facility. The monitoring station comprises calibration systems, analysers, meteorological instrumentation, sensors, sampling lines and display systems. The cost of the control station is about Rs 90 lakh and the maintenance cost of the station is about Rs 10 lakh per year.
About NTPC:
Headquarters- New Delhi, India.
Chairman & Managing Director (CMD)- Gurdeep Singh.
About CPCB:
Central Pollution Control Board functions under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFC). The purpose of the CPCB is to regulate the cleanliness of the streams, wells and to improve the quality of the air in the country.
Chairperson- Shri Ravi Shanker Prasad.