NGT directs 3 thermal plants to pay Rs 1.5 crore

Aman Sood

Tribune News Service

Patiala, July 23

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed three thermal power plants in Punjab to pay Rs 1.5 crore as “environmental compensation” over their failure to scientifically dispose of fly ash.

In its recent order, the NGT directed the State Pollution Control Board to ensure that the compensation was deposited with the Central Pollution Control Board within 30 days.

Besides, the NGT has also served a notice on a state-owned plant which is yet to submit its data. The thermal plant would be fined later.

Earlier this year, the NGT had asked thermal power plants to take prompt steps for scientific disposal of fly ash, warning that the failure to do so would entail a penalty. The fly ash particles consist of silica, alumina, oxides of iron, calcium, and magnesium and toxic heavy metals.

A majority of thermal power stations in India use bituminous coal and produce large quantities of fly ash.

“The thermal power plants may take prompt steps for scientific disposal of fly ash in accordance with the statutory notification issued by the Ministry of Environment and Forest under the provisions of the Environment Protection Act requiring 100 per cent utilisation and disposal of fly ash,” the NGT had said.

In the private sector, the Goindwal Sahib power plant has been imposed a penalty (environmental compensation) of Rs 47,08,480. Similarly, the Nabha Thermal Power Plant, Rajpura, has been levied Rs 55,70,239. The NGT has also asked PSPCL’s Guru Hargobind Thermal Plant, Lehra Mohabbat, to deposit Rs 53,94,832. Meanwhile, the state-owned Guru Gobind Singh Super Thermal Power Plant, Ropar, has been asked to submit the data of fly ash utilisation.

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