NTPC is spreading pollution: Stopped giving fly ash to the industries; ruining the fields.
Dispatch News.
Pollution is spreading on a large scale due to the ashes of NTPC located in Sipat in Bilaspur. Because of this, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) team reached the city on Monday to see the use of fly ash emanating from NTPC. The team inspected the power plant, ash dam, and fly ash bricks industries on the first day. Also listened to the problems of the affected villagers. NTPC has stopped the supply of ash to the bricks industry for the last few months.
The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change issued the notification on January 25, 2016. It said that NTPC will have to deliver ash for 100 km to vacant mines and industries like fly ash bricks. NTPC implemented this order in 2019 after filling the ash dam and affecting farmers’ agriculture. Apart from complying with the order with a delay of three years, the transporters from NTPC were supplying ash to other places, including industries.
On December 31, 2021, a revised notification of the Union Ministry of Environment came, which directed NTPC and other power plants to transport ash up to 300 km for filling in mines and roads. NTPC has stopped providing fly ash to industries citing the absence of mention of fly ash industries in the revised notification. The industries which had ordered ash earlier had not received reimbursement.
On Monday, the NGT team reached out to see the NTPC plant and the ash pond. The team also went to Balaji Ash Bricks of Sipat. The team also inspected the ashes of the empty mine in Urga.
The Supreme Court has ordered the NGT to submit a report on ash utilization and orders passed on polluting power plants. Pollution is spreading from NTPC’s Dam, and the Supreme Court orders are not being followed, due to which the farmers of the surrounding villages are upset. The team will also be on tour on Tuesday. They are inspecting fly ash, plantation and other works.
Navdeep Singh Chhabra, president of Fly Ash Industries Association, said that because of the non-receipt of ash from NTPC, he met Janjgir’s Madwa Thermal Power Plant management. The Generation CE, HN Kosaria, has assured to provide fly ash. The association will meet the NGT team on Tuesday and keep their views. There are more than 50 plants in Sirgitti which use 10% of the ash generated from NTPC.
