Two lakh face water scarcity; massive tree plantation demanded
Stating that an extra 12 degrees Celsius of temperature is being created in the Angul-Talcher area due do the massive coal burning by the NTPC’s Talcher Super Thermal Power Station (TSTPS) and the Nalco captive power plant (CPP), the Brahmani Anchal Surksha Parishad, Talcher on Monday demanded that the two PSUs spend two per cent of their profit for planting of trees in their respective areas.
“The two PSUs are using over 80,000 tonne coal per day to generate thermal power. In addition, over 20,000 tonne coal are burning due to fire mishaps in the coalmines and coal stock yards in Talcher. This has caused rise in temperature in the region,” alleged Parishad president and former MlA Bibhudendra Pratap Das.
Das informed that the temperature in the region was below 38 degree Celsius before 1980 as NTPC Kaniha project and Nalco CPP were not set up by then. Claiming that the temperature sometimes touches 45 degree Celsius in summer, Das said three persons have died and many have fallen unconscious due to heat wave. He further claimed that 70 per cent of water sources like streams, tube wells and dug wells have dried up in over 50 villages and over two lakh people are being affected due to increase in the temperature.
“It would be difficult for the people to live in the region in the coming days if massive green cover and new water sources are not dug. Hence, NTPC, MCl and Nalco should spend two percent of their profit for these purposes,” Das demanded.