The Supreme Court asked the Power Ministry to work with top regulators and create a clear plan to cut emissions from coal-based power plants. The Court warned that delays could worsen Delhi’s already dangerous air pollution.
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NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on July 22, 2025, asked the Ministry of Power to urgently call a joint meeting with India’s top energy regulators to make a clear plan to cut harmful carbon emissions from coal-based power plants.
The Court said that delays in controlling pollution will make Delhi’s air quality much worse.
A Bench of Justices P.S. Narasimha and A.S. Chandurkar shared their concern that continued inaction by authorities could cause severe environmental and public health damage.
The Court relied on a report given by the Amicus Curiae, which pointed out that coal-fired thermal power plants are one of the biggest reasons for PM2.5 pollution in Delhi-NCR. Even though the government has made it mandatory, flue-gas desulphurisation (FGD) systems — which reduce sulphur dioxide emissions — have been installed in only a few plants.
The report said that many plants within 300 km of Delhi are still breaking the sulphur dioxide emission limits set by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
The case began from an earlier February 21, 2025 Supreme Court order that warned about India’s climate crisis. Back then, the Court had said:
“Climate change has ascended as one of the most existential global predicaments, wielding profound ramifications beyond mere environmental degradation.”
In the July 22 hearing, the Court looked at data from the Union government and the Amicus Curiae about how much different sectors contribute to carbon emissions.
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The Bench noted that thermal power plants alone make up about 8% of India’s total carbon emissions and add significantly to air pollution with particulate matter.
The Amicus Curiae’s report acknowledged that India has made strong progress in renewable energy, with renewables now making up nearly half of the country’s total installed electricity capacity.
But it warned that the coal sector also needs major reforms and that the government must strictly enforce pollution control laws.
The report also pointed out that the July 11, 2025 notification from the Environment Ministry weakened the 2015 carbon emission norms instead of making them stricter.
To make sure all regulators work together, the Supreme Court has now added the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) and the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) as parties in the case.
The Ministry of Power must now hold a meeting with these regulators and file a joint affidavit in four weeks.
This affidavit should clearly explain the current rules, plans to cut emissions, and a detailed timeline for shifting away from coal, including when all FGD systems will be installed.
The Supreme Court will hear the matter again on August 19, 2025.
CASE TITLE:
Ridhima Pandey vs. Union of India & Ors.
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