Pollution, ash pond: Sambalpur, J'suguda units told to be diligent

Forest and Environment Secretary RK Sharma accompanied by the officials from the State Pollution Control Board (PCB) and district administrations of Sambalpur and Jharsuguda held a meeting with the authorities of the industries in the two districts on the issue of pollution and ash pond management.

“Since poor maintenance of the ash ponds of different thermal power plants of the two districts created havoc last year during the monsoon, Sharma strictly instructed the officials of the power plants not to be negligent on the issue. Similar instructions were also given to the sponge iron plant authorities to take steps for controlling their air and water pollution,” PCB member secretary lalit Tiwari informed.

It needs to be mentioned here that due to breach in the ash ponds of most of the power plants during the last monsoon, the farmers had to face immense loss as their standing crops were totally damaged and there was a lot of uproar then. Hence, to prevent recurrence of such incidents, the forest and environment Secretary warned the plant heads to take adequate precautionary measures or otherwise face closure of their units for violation of pollution norms, informed Tiwari.  The plant authorities also mentioned their problems as regards shortage of land for ash ponds and disposal of solid wastes.

RDC of Sambalpur G Srinivas, District Collectors of Sambalpur and Jharsuguda Balwant Singh and Niranjan Sahu, heads of 22 sponge iron units and five power plants took part in the meeting.

Notably, the people of Rengali and Jharsuguda where mushroom growth of sponge iron units and power plants took place during the last decade have discarded the ruling party BJD during the last election since they remained away from the benefits of the industrialisation but got victimized due to the 

uncontrolled pollution.

The people of Rengali block recently detained the officials of the Vedanta Aluminium ltd (VAl) as the water from its ash pond polluted the Bheden 

river water they use for agriculture and other purposes.