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Environmentalists and economists on Wednesday advocated for reviewing emission standards for the thermal plants in the country as it is contributing to global warming through carbon emission to the environment.
The existing standard remains high in comparison to the global standard, they cited, suggesting also rethinking the permissible level of particles in the air in the country’s air pollution control act.
While the World Health Organisation (WHO) declined the standard of particulate matter in the air, Bangladesh has raised the level of permissible particulate matter in its pollution control rules, they lamented.
Speakers said this at a national seminar titled “Rethinking Emission Standards for Thermal Power Plants in Bangladesh” organized by the Center for Atmospheric Pollution Studies (CAPS) at the Stamford University Bangladesh auditorium.
Saber Hossain Chowdhury, Chair of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, addressed the event as the chief guest.
Air pollution has three times the impact of all pollutants. Therefore, all developments are necessary considering public health, chief guest Chowdhury suggested, adding that “pollution must be taken into consideration while planning power plants.”
Foreigners research according to their interests and see their interests first. So, all our development research needs to be done by our indigenous researchers, he observed.
Jahangirnagar University teacher and Executive Director of Institute for Planning and Development (IPD) Prof Adil Mohammed Khan, Chief Executive of Center for Participatory Research and Development, Md Shamsuddoha, Additional Research Director at Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) Khondaker Moazzem spoke at the event among others.
CAPS Chairman Ahmad Kamruzzaman Majumder presented the keynote paper in the meeting.
Majumder said in his presentation that WHO has reduced the standard of particulate matter of 2.5 standards from 10 micrograms per cubic meter to 5 micrograms per cubic meter realizing the health risks of air pollution.
But the government has hiked the standard to 35 micrograms from 15 micrograms per cubic meter in the recently passed Air Pollution (Control) Rules-2022.
On the other hand, in the same rules, the maximum limit of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter standards for stack emissions of thermal power plants have been set at 200, 200, and 50 mg per cubic meter respectively, which is at least 4-5 times higher than the standards of developed countries.
The developed countries follow the standards of noise level while doing development activities in their countries, the same standards are not followed by developing countries when working in our country as development partners, he alleged in his presentation.
Prof Khan of IPD said the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of projects taken by the government is mostly flawed. Power plants are being built in environmentally hazardous areas. What the developed countries are accepting in all these areas, we are not acceptable here.
Moazzem of CPD said we consider both green energy and energy security to be contradictory. Our coastal regions are sinking due to carbon emissions. But we ourselves are emitting carbon and raising demands in various forums for compensation.
Sulfur and mercury are not mentioned in the standards of Bangladesh. It needs to be added. Also, emission levels in factories need to be constantly monitored and strictly controlled by legislation, speakers said at the event.
Vice-Chancellor of Stamford University Bangladesh Md. Moniruzzaman chaired the function, and said environmentalists will continue to inform us about the current situation by doing more research on air pollution and urge politicians to consider industry and the environment in policy-making.