The 52 years old Talcher Thermal Power Station (TTPS /NTPC), a profit oriented Central PSU, is counting its days.
Thanks to lapse of environmental clearance, the power station is going to be closed just within a few days, ie, on December 31. In the mean time, the INTUC has come forward and protested the abrupt closure of the plant. It has demanded not to close the old plant before commencement of a new one as the station is producing electricity to serve the entire Odisha State. Besides there are issues of job, livelihood and local development, the labour union said.
In a Press meet the national leader of INTUC and former Rajya Sabha MP Ramachandra Khuntia told here that while many industries and captive power plants had been running although they had completed 50 /60 years, why the TTPS power plant which is producing and supplying satisfactory energy for the benefit of the Odisha people be closed.
"It is very simple to understand. Due to a quarrel between the State and Central Governments, now the common people of Angul district in particular as well as people of Odisha in general are going to lose a profit-making venture. Besides many would lose their livelihood through salaries and wages and CSR activities in education, health, drinking water, sanitation etc in and around the plant would be hit. This is the time for each and everyone to know the fact."
The Talcher Thermal Power Station (TTPS) was established in the year 1964 and was running under the supervision of the Odisha Government till 1995 when the plant fell sick and sold to the NTPC.
Ever since it was handed over to the NTPC management, power station was running as a profitable unit. The plant was also awarded by President of India for producing above 112 percentage of PLF. If the TTPS /NTPC power plant stopped its production, over 2,000 contractual labourers, 190 executives, 160 employees will be influenced directly and land oustees, shop keepers and contractors will be hit hard.
Two schools and one hospital are running under the management of TTPS / NTPC. The same may also be stopped with the shutdown of the plant. Most importantly, 25,000 peripheral villagers will be influenced by closure of the station.
Notably, the power plant was scheduled for expansion. For the matter, many new construction works had been undertaken. A new plant was to come up with capacity and technology upgradation. So there was a lot of euphoria among the local people. But now, an air of gloom has taken over. "The inner motive to close the profitable power plant is not known.
The common people are worried as the closure of the plant will have a big impact on the local economy," said Bishnumohan Rath of INTUC.
Among others Odisha State INTUC vice president Madanmohan Dhal, Angul president Digambar Gadanayak, District Congress president Biplab Jena, Nirmal Samal, Paresh Jena, Satyananda Sahu, Susant Samal, Rajkishore Sahoo, Paresh Chandra Kunar, Arabind Mishra, Bimbadhar Samal, Anjan Sahoo were present.
The INTUC threatened to launch agitation if the issue was not sorted out in a week.