The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Thursday, directed thermal power plants in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh, to take instructions on the viability of collecting agricultural wastes from fields and using it as fuel in these plants.
Incentives for farmers
It has also asked the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) to file full details of the total coal demand and the amount of agricultural waste that it can use.
While hearing a plea on stubble burning, a Bench headed by NGT chairperson Swatanter Kumar asked the NTPC to submit the amount of agricultural residue, in pellet form, which can be used as raw material, in combination with coal, to generate power.
Further, the green panel asked, “If you lift the agricultural waste from the fields, what incentives will you provide the farmers?”. “All states should set up plants to convert residue to pellets and provide it to NTPC...” said the Bench.