Vedanta Ltd penalised for illegal dumping of ash

Jharsuguda: Ash is generated due to the burning of coal in the thermal power plants. M/s Vedanta Ltd has two 3,615 MW thermal power plants. About 25,000-28,000 tonnes ash per day is generated by the unit. The Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF &CC), in its notification, mandates that no agency, person or organisation shall within a radius of 300 km of a coal or lignite- based thermal power plant undertake or approve or allow reclamation and compaction of low-lying areas with soil. Only ash shall be used for compaction and reclamation. Reclamation of low-lying area by utilising fly ash shall be done after obtaining Consent to Establish (CTE) and Consent to Operate (CTO) as per the guidelines of State Pollution Control Board (SPCB), Odisha.

However, it is seen that illegal dumping of ash is being done haphazardly in the non-low-lying areas, by excavating it and making it a low-lying land, which is in violation of the guidelines of SPCB. Transportation of ash is being carried out by a number of trucks which are not following the guidelines of SPCB, resulting in spillages of ash over the roads and causing heavy fugitive emission during plying of vehicles. Several public complaints have been received by the Regional Office, Jharsuguda, SPCB, Odisha and it has been issuing several directions to the industries, but still illegal disposal of ash is continuing, causing environmental degradation.

Therefore, the Regional Office, Jharsuguda, has imposed a fine of Rs 1,59,70,938 on M/s Vedanta Ltd for illegally dumping ash in Jharsuguda area.