NEW DELHI: New thermal power plants ( (TPPs) in India will now have to comply with ‘human health and environment’ criteria as part of their mandatory environmental clearance procedures. The Union environment ministry has notified a new list of general standard conditions, bringing for the first time an exclusive health assessment as an essential point to give green nod to such plants. Under its new order, issued on Monday, the company will have to take into account chronic exposure to air and noise pollution which may adversely affect health of not only workers but also of people living in its vicinity. This baseline health status within the study area will be part of the company’s application, seeking environment clearances for setting up new TPPs anywhere in the country. “This is quite significant and a big first step as Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) in India was silent on community health and occupational health and safety. It’ll present a baseline data of health impact assessment and help in planning mitigation steps,” said ShwetaNarayan, coordinator of the Health Energy Initiative J- India. Narayan, who was involved in a recent study on health impact assessment issues around power plants in Chhattisgarh, said, “The inclusion of health assessments is an indication that the concept of ‘health in all policies’ is now gaining ground.“It’ll change the entire narrative, keeping in mind public concerns around deteriorating health conditions of people near industrial clusters in general and coal-fired TPPs in particular.” According to the ministry’s office memorandum (OM) on the issue, the condition will apply not only to coal and lignite based TPPs, but also to waste to energy plants.