Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi has launched a sharp attack on the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change for its recent decision to exempt 78% of India’s coal-based power plants from installing critical anti-pollution technology. He called the move a dangerous compromise of public health in favour of corporate convenience.
In a strongly worded statement, Gogoi said, “Coal burning contributes nearly 15% of India’s PM2.5 pollution, a major cause of respiratory illness, heart disease, and early death.” He warned that the ministry’s decision effectively ignores established scientific evidence on how sulphur oxide (SOx) particles are formed and dispersed, and how deeply they harm human health.
The exemption, which affects a vast majority of the country’s thermal power units, has drawn criticism from environmental experts who point out the absence of a transparent cost-benefit analysis and the lack of public consultation. Many fear the move will delay India’s clean energy transition and exacerbate already high air pollution levels in several regions.
“This not only weakens India’s environmental safeguards but also puts millions of lives at risk while slowing our transition to cleaner energy,” Gogoi said. He urged the government to adopt science-backed, accountable policymaking and to resist shortcuts that could permanently damage the health of citizens and the environment.
The Congress leader’s remarks have added to growing public and expert concern about the rollback of environmental regulations in key sectors under the pretext of economic and infrastructural priorities.