Overruling Centre, State levies charges on fly ash utilisation
| Date :18-Jan-2023 |
By Kaushik Bhattacharya
Though the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) instructed fly ash producers to provide ash to users free of cost within 300 kms, the Maharashtra State Power Generation Co Ltd, in its recent order, decided to sell all 100% fly ash, which includes dry fly ash and pond ash, through tendering.
To encourage fly ash users to utilise more ash into construction and brick kilns, the Central Government was giving 20% fly ash free of cost to small industries/users and remaining 80% were being sold through tendering process. Now, the Maharashtra Government is selling 100% dry fly ash to generate revenue to MahaGenco.
Initially, the State Government issued this order for four Thermal Power Stations that is Bhusawal, Nashik, Parli and Paras. The new order will be implemented soon in all TPS’ in the State. Similarly, the 50% pond ash was free for brick kilns are now chargeable and the allotment of ponds will be done through tendering process.
According to the order issued by the Board, “As revised fly ash notification of December 31, 2021 supersedes all previous notifications, hence the current practice of fly ash allotment under 20% quotas to fly ash end users will stand abolished.” Authorised Chief Engineer (O&M) of respective TPS will issue 20% dry fly ash to qualifying agencies with the approved estimated rate with immediate effect till finalisation of agencies through e-auction process.
Bhusawal TPS has the highest 2,25,000 MT fly ash followed by Paras (1,20,000 MT), Parli (1,08,000 MT) and Nashik (45,000 MT). A bidder can avail maximum 22,500 MT fly ash from Bhusawal TPS, whereas 4,500 MT from Nashik, 12,000 MT from Paras and 10,800 MT from Parli. The order also stated, “Compliance of all pollution norms as prescribed by the Government agencies as far as loading and transportation of pond ash is concerned.”
The activists who are working in the field of fly ash utilisation claimed it a wrong decision by the Board, which will reduce the utilisation of fly ash in other sectors and also help the big industries to get fly ash as per their requirement.
“Though the decision has been taken for only four TPS’s, but soon, it will be implemented in all other power plants,” said Pratap Goswami, General Secretary, Kisan Manch and an NGT petitioner to ‘The Hitavada’.
“To achieve the 100% utilisation of fly ash by power plants, they have to supply fly ash free of cost to users in 300 kilometres, including brick industries, road construction, infrastructure development projects. However, Koradi and other power plants of MahaGenco have miserably failed in it,” said Goswami. In last few months, fly ash ponds of Koradi and Khaparkheda have breached the pollution norms and destroyed hundreds of acres of fertile land. The water supply from Kanhan to Nagpur city has also been affected and polluted due to fly ash flow in the waterbody.
“Kisan Manch has raised fly ash pollution and its non-utilisation issue before National Green Tribunal. Inspite of proper utilisation, MahaGenco has decided to sell fly ash and bottom ash. This will kill small units, Kumbhar community and red clay brick kiln which make fly ash clay bricks with the help of that 20% quota fly ash,” said Goswami. With this decision, thousands of workers and small businesses will be affected, said the NGT petitioner.