Odisha

IIT-Kharagpur Researchers Transform Odisha Steel Dumpsites Into Green Canopy

By
OB Bureau

Bhubaneswar: The researchers at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur have transformed Odisha’s steel plants’ dumpsites into greenbelts using traditional Indian organic components and Japanese afforestation techniques.

The researchers afforested over 32,000 square feet in Dhenkanal region following a rapid forest regeneration technique by using a unique mix of the traditional resource of Panchagavya with the Miyawaki plantation technique of ecologist Akira Miyawaki from Japan.

Supported by Tata Steel BSL, the Post Mining Mine Site Restoration group of the department of mining engineering of IIT-Kharagpur made this possible with their ‘Midas Touch’, stated a report in NDTV

“Dumping of blast furnace slag by steel plants has been a perennial challenge in India and even in some of the developed countries across the world,” said IIT Kharagpur Professor Khanindra Pathak.

“These steel slag dumps contribute to the generation of airborne particles causing air pollution and also contaminate groundwater and surface-water. The slag-covered land is unsuitable for vegetation and also causes health hazards to both humans and animals,” he said.

“Researchers at IIT Kharagpur have devised a bioremediation method to reduce the concentration of the polluting slag to an innocuous state. They have made this slag suitable for plant growth by mixing it with topsoil, cow dung and other organic enhancers. Plants were carefully chosen for the Miyawaki technique and 22 native species were grown on the mix with a 30-cm layer of topsoil over it after administering them with Panchagavya,” he added.

According to the team, periodic administration of Panchagavya checked the problem of nutrient scarcity while mulching helped retention of water and nutrients.

“In a span of one year, we witnessed the growth of a self-sustaining mini-forest, dominated by plants belonging to the Fabaceae and Sesbania grandiflora family. The plants with long root systems could utilize the steel slag with their roots penetrating up to a depth of 2 m from the ground surface, thus reducing its effect on groundwater contamination and surface runoff of water in the monsoons,” said Pathak.

The process turned an unsupportive steel slag dump to a self-sustaining primary succession over it.

“Vetiver grass was used as a boundary for the plantation to check migration of nutrients. This grass, if grown over the slopes of the slag dumps, will further check the fugitive emissions and thereby reducing air pollution and erosion of slag onto adjacent habitations,” he added.

Pathak said that the process can be replicated for municipality waste dumps as well.

“Development of a vetiver grass field could be beneficial for urban wastewater management as well as municipality solid waste dump sites. We had also demonstrated hydroponic vetiver for the containment of oil in refinery wastewater through an IIT Kharagpur and IOCL collaborative project at the Bongaigaon refinery,” the professor said.

OB Bureau

Recent Posts

Odisha CM Directs To Supply 3 Months’ PDS Rice To Beneficiaries In Advance

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister on Tuesday issued direction to provide rice of three months' quota…

November 5, 2024

[Watch] Salman Khan Shoots For ‘Sikander’ In Falaknuma Palace Amid Tight Security

Mumbai: In the wake of a fresh death threat by the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, actor…

November 5, 2024

Bachchan Family Upset With Nimrat Kaur, To Take Action Against Source Of Rumour

Mumbai: Rumours about Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai’s divorce have been doing the rounds for…

November 5, 2024

Surge In Patients With Respiratory Issues In Delhi Hospitals

New Delhi: Hospitals across Delhi are witnessing a spike in the number of patients with…

November 5, 2024

ISKCON Cancels ‘Untimely’ Rath Yatra In Houston

Bhubaneswar: Facing a strong opposition from the devotees of Lord Jagannath and Puri Gajapati Maharaja…

November 5, 2024

[Watch] Is Abhishek Bachchan’s ‘I Want To Talk’ Similar To Dad Amitabh’s ‘Piku’?

Mumbai: The trailer of the highly-anticipated Abhishek Bachchan starrer ‘I Want to Talk’ was unveiled…

November 5, 2024

One Killed, Two Injured In Mukhyamantri Bus-Bike Collision In Odisha’s Ganjam

Berhampur: One person was killed and two others were injured in a collision between a…

November 5, 2024

Raveena Tandon’s Daughter To Debut With Ajay Devgn’s Nephew

Mumbai: Bollywood actress Raveena Tandon’s beautiful daughter Rasha Thadani is all set to make her…

November 5, 2024