Fly ash: NGT fines Panipat unit Rs 3 cr

Mukesh Tandon

Tribune News Service

Panipat, December 5

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has imposed Rs 3-crore penalty on Panipat Thermal Power Station (PTPS) for causing damage to environment through unscientific disposal of fly ash and towards restoration of environment. The order comes on a complaint of residents of Jatal village of the district.

In their complaint, the residents had claimed that unscientific disposal of fly ash had been affecting their health for the past four decades.

“About 40 persons have died due to cancer in the village in the past four decades, 70 per cent of residents are suffering from asthma, 90 per cent have eye diseases and 70-80 per cent are suffering from skin diseases. Even animals have been afflicted with several diseases,” the complaint stated. The Green Tribunal had ordered the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) to initiate action and prepare action-plan report in August.

Following the NGT’s order, Bhupender Singh Chahal, the then Regional Officer, HSPCB, along with a team visited the site and submitted its report on November 29.

In the report, HSPCB said ash dykes were covered and water sprinkling was being done. There was no health issue in the area. Fly ash was being disposed of to the extent of 100 to 50 per cent. During the hearing, a copy of letter from PTPS was handed over to the effect that fly ash would be utilised over the next 10 years.

Following the report, the Principal Bench headed by Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel in its order said the adverse impact of fly ash to the environment was well acknowledged. There was no justification for storing fly ash up to 10 years as proposed.

The NGT ordered to form a joint committee of Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and IIT Roorkee to finalise action plan covering all aspects so as to not only achieve 100% utilisation of fly ash but also to ensure its scientific and environmentally sound disposal.

The committee will also be required to determine the amount of damages to be paid for the violation of requirement of utilisation of fly ash.