June 21 – Issued under the provisions of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, the latest amendment is the sixth attempt by policymakers to address the “mismanagement” of fly ash from India’s ever-expanding coal- fired thermal power sector.

According to estimates provided by the Central Electricity Authority, the fly ash produced at Indian coal power sector increased from 69 million tonnes a year in 1996 to 226 million tonnes a year in 2019. This is a large quantity – almost three times the amount of municipal solid waste generated in the country. In addition, nearly 1.6 billion tonnes of legacy ash – i.e. ash accumulated over time – is lying around in illegal ash ponds across the country. The Wire / Read more