Taking stock of fly ash menace in Koradi and Khaparkheda thermal power plant area, Maharashtra’s Environment Minister Aditya Thackeray, on Thursday, slammed Maharashtra State Power Generation Company (MahaGenco) and Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) for showing callous attitude in 100% utilisation of fly ash and pollution mitigation. Thackeray chaired a meeting through video conferencing to review a case filed by Nagpur-based environment activists in National Green Tribunal (NGT) against MahaGenco for non-compliance of environmental norms and poor management of fly ash in their Koradi and Khaparkheda Thermal Power Plants in Nagpur district. The meeting was also attended by senior officials of MahaGenco, MPCB, officials of other departments, petitioners of the case and their lawyers.

 

“On one hand Central Government issued notification for 100% utilisation of fly ash of Thermal Power Plants (TPPs). On the other, MahaGenco is planning to open a new ash pond. This shows the callous attitude of the company towards mitigation measures,” Pratap Goswami, petitioner in the case, told The Hitavada. “We welcome that Environment Minister calling this meeting and for taking stock of the situation in Koradi and Khaparkheda. But the people, who are suffering from this fly ash menace for years, want some concrete action,” said Goswami. “We urged the Minister to visit to Vidarbha and check the condition of people here.

 

He is going to conduct another meeting on coming week when we are expecting some concrete decision by his side,” said Pradyumna Sahasrabhojanee, another petitioner. According to a senior official of MahaGenco, “We putforth efforts and initiatives taken by us for environmental protection along with future plan especially about FGD and ash disposal before the Environment Minister.” Minister directed that MPCB and MahaGenco should sit together and submit corrective action plan for environmental improvement and stop pollution, the official added. Centre for Sustainable Development (CFSD), Nagpur; Manthan Adhyayan Kendra, Pune; and ASAR Social Impact Advisors Pvt Ltd., presented a report ‘Polluted Power: How Koradi and Khaparkheda Thermal Power Stations are Impacting the Environment’ last year. As per the study, surface and ground water contamination was found in areas in the vicinity of Koradi and Khaparkheda Thermal Power plants. Koradi and Khaparkheda TPS’ ash ponds are discharging effluent directly into local streams and rivers, including the Kolar and Kanhan river.

 

When the minister asked about the study to MahaGenco, the company passed the buck to the mines nearby. It stated that the mines in the vicinity polluting the water-bodies and they also denied that fly ash contains any hard and poisonous metal which can damage agricultural land, said Goswami. He said, “MahaGenco officials in the meeting commented that they shall get the fly ash tested for heavy metals and were not in agreement to the fact that heavy metals are harmful to human health that present in the fly ash.” Though the Minister asked authorities to take action against non-compliance, he did not commit to any timeline for installing FGD in accordance with 2010 Environment Clearance order which is mandatory in nature, said Goswami. Thackeray also instructed MPCB to take appropriate action against the company if they committed any environmental violation and submit the report in next meeting which is likely to be held on January 13.