Bhubaneswar: Constant follow-up and coordination through the Odisha State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB) has enabled Odisha to achieve 81 percent utilization of the fly ash generated during the year 2017-18.
This was revealed at the state-level review meeting presided over by chief secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi at the State Secretariat here on Thursday.
Additional chief secretary, Forest & Environment Suresh Chandra Mohapatra outlined the issues while member secretary, OSPCB, Debidatta Biswal presented the updates for discussion.
Taking a company-wise review of the fly ash utilization status, the chief secretary directed them to prepare the actual ground-level plan for accomplishing 100 percent utilization of the generated ash during 2018-19. Besides, companies were asked to prioritize the matter for preventing any environmental hazard.
Padhi also asked the companies to display fly ash stock on their websites and provide transport free fly ash for PMGSY and other asset creation projects of the government within 300 km of distance from their companies. This transport cost-free delivery would be limited to 100 kms for other projects and manufacturers while beyond 100 to 300 kms of distance, the fly ash would be delivered by them on transport cost-sharing basis for manufacturing and other commercial projects. Each company have to submit a ground-based action plan for 100 percent utilization in the year 2018-19, he pointed out.
The law enforcement agencies and departments were directed to deal with the violations stringently in the interest of the safety and health of the people.
Present at the meeting, development commissioner R Balakrishnan said 100 percent utilization of the fly ash by the companies is obligatory. Apart from traditional ways of utilization, the fly ash generating companies must identify new avenues for utilization of greater amount of the ash, he added.
“We are constantly monitoring 40 thermal power plants of more than 10 MW capacity. Fly ash utilization in the state is at an increasing rate. In the year 2016-17 around 32 million tonnes of ash was generated by different thermal power companies against which around 68 percent was utilized. This was higher than the national utilization average of 63 percent. In the year 2017-18, the utilization has gone up to around 81 against almost the same amount of generation (32 million tonnes). It is expected that the total generation during the current year would also remain around 32 million ton. Efforts would be made to ensure 100 percent utilization during the current year,” OSPCB member secretary told media persons after the meeting.
As per available data, fly ash is being utilized in brick manufacturing, cement production, asbestos making, quarry filling, mine void filling, land development, raising of the dyke and road construction.
Additional chief secretary Forest and Environment Suresh Chandra Mohapatra, secretary, Housing and Urban Development G Mathivathanan, secretary Works, Nalinikanta Pradhan, CGM National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) Dharmananda Sarangi along with senior representatives from thermal power plants and concerned officers were present at the meeting.
