Fresh water for Koradi, Khaperkheda TPS’ can quench thirst of 2 lakh Nagpurians

By Kaushik Bhattacharya

Koradi, Khaperkheda, and Chandrapur Coal based Thermal Power Plants run by Maharashtra State Electricity Generation Company Limited (MahaGenco) are consuming 31 Million Litres per Day (MLD) of fresh water, reveals the water consumption data of MahaGenco. According to the data, among these three plants, Chandrapur Super Thermal Power Station (CSTPS) is consuming the highest 120 MLD (1,20,000 M3/d) of fresh water -- which is 12 crore litres -- for its daily electricity generation. CSTPS also uses 55 MLD (55,000 M3/d) of treated water from various sewage treatment plants in Chandrapur.

Koradi and Khaperkheda Thermal Power Stations in the Nagpur district are together consuming 31 MLD (31,000 M3/day) of fresh water, which is 3.10 crore litres of water per day for electricity generation, states the data. Of this, Koradi TPS consumes 6 MLD (6,000 M3/day) or 60 lakh litres. Besides this, Koradi TPS is also utilising 95% of treated water for electricity generation daily that it is getting from Nagpur Municipal Corporation’s (NMC’s) Bhandewadi based STP. It gets the remaining 5% of fresh water, which is 6 MLD, from Pench and Kolar rivers every day. Khaperkheda plant, which is also close to Nagpur city, is consuming 25 MLD fresh water daily from these two rivers in the district, which also cater to the drinking water demand of Nagpur city. As per NMC officials, the per capita water consumption per day of Nagpur city is 150 litres. If we compare the fresh water consumption by Koradi and Khaperkheda plants for power generation per day with the per capita consumption, the consumption of both plants can fulfill the daily water demand of 2,06,666 persons (2.06 lakh).

As per sources in the NMC, Nagpur city generates 520 MLD of sewage water daily, of which the civic body is treating 409 MLD of water daily in its two Bhandewadi Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) and some other small STPs situated in different gardens in the city. Among this 409 MLD, NMC is providing 330 MLD of water MahaGenco daily for its Koradi and Khaperkheda TPSs. Among this 330 MLD, Koradi is getting 130 MLD of treated water and Khaperkheda is getting 22 MLD treated water from NMC. Sudhir Paliwal, Convenor of Vidarbha Environment Action Group (VEAG), said, “There is no proper system to measure raw water received from Pench river. Therefore actual amount of water is not known. In fact the water received from Bhandewadi is in fact Nag River water. The river water is pumped from a weir constructed on Nag river and taken to Koradi via Bhandewadi Sewage Treatment Plant.”

“At present there is no sewage collection system of NMC where the city sewage is conveyed to Sewage Treatment Plant by NMC. It is understood that now Irrigation department is demanding payment of water pumped from Nag river. This proves the point, said Paliwal. Similarly, Khaperkheda TPS gets its water from Nag river and Bhanegaon mine water. The Bhanegaon mine water is in fact Kanhan River water. Kanhan river flows adjacent to Bhanegaon mine of Western Coalfields Ltd. The river water is getting percolated to mine, as per the norms the river water must be pumped back to river. MahaGenco and WCL has no right on such water, he added. Kanhan and Khaperkheda TPS are consuming 151 MLD fresh water daily which can feed lakhs of people per day. VEAG, is now collecting further water data and will present the facts before authorities for appropriate action, said Paliwal.