A State-level workshop on use of fly ash in road construction was organised under the joint aegis of the State Pollution Control Board, the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) and the Fly Ash Research Center (FARC) here on Friday.
Inaugurating the workshop, Chief Secretary AP Padhi emphasised on the 100 per cent utilisation of fly ash produced from thermal power plants. He directed all the TPSs and departments like Works, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj to implement Government rules and orders for fly ash use. Padhi too advised engineers and road executing agencies to use fly ash as an asset.
Development Commissioner R Balakrishnan said the use of fly ash in construction works should be included in the project plans and be scrutinised at the time of giving approvals and sanctions.
Forests and Environment Sercetary Suresh Chandra Moahaptra, Works Secretary Nalinikanta Pardhan too spoke on fly ash use. Pradhan said instructions have been issued for use of fly ash bricks in construction of all Government buildings. He too informed that the Indian Road Congress (IRC) has approved use of fly ash in road construction.
Presently, around 25 million tones of fly ash per annum is being generated from power plants which are likely to be doubled in coming years with commissioning of more power plants, which are under construction now.
The utilisation of fly ash over last 3 years has been around 58-60 per cent in the State. In the country, annual utilisation of fly ash in road construction is about 8.82 million tonnes which is around 16 per cent of total utilisation. Besides road constructions, fly ash is also used as bricks for construction of buildings.
NTPC REO Aravind Kumar delivered introductory address.