The authorities of the State Pollution Control Board (PCB) have served notice to the Vedanta at Jharsuguda after a breach of its ash pond.
Since a village near the ash pond and water of the Bheden river have been badly affected due to the fly ash, Vedanta was served the notice, PCB sources from Jharsuguda said. Two notices were served to this unit that is under controversy from its very inception, it added.
After getting the notice, the senior officials of the plant appeared before the PCB’s Bhubaneswar office on Wednesday and explained their stand. But the outcome of the discussion was yet to be known, sources said.
Vedanta has been asked to give satisfactory reply on breach of the ash pond and why the plant would not be closed since it had grossly violated the pollution norms creating many hazards, including massive damage to the standing crops and water bodies. At the same time, it was also asked to show cause why the consent to operate would not be cancelled for the same reason.
It needs to be mentioned here that on August 28, there was a major breach in the Vedanta ash pond No 2 and the people were panicked and Bheden river was polluted to a great extent.