TALCHER: Residents of Kaniha area have been complaining of increase in air pollution for the last few days due to release of fly ash from NTPC thermal power plant.
Sources said fly ash emanating from the plant’s boilers are not being deposited in the ash pond leading to air pollution. Flow of fly ash, which is generated due to burning of coal in the plant, is checked through an electro-static precipitator and then released to the ash pond.
A local Manasi Swain said fly ash emanating from the power plant is making life miserable for residents of the town. The matter has been brought to the notice of NTPC and OSPCB officials at Angul but nothing has been done in this regard, she said.
“The Odisha State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB) is silent on the issue even as it concerns the health of people”, Swain said and added that locals will be forced to protest if no action is taken to address the problem. Members of Janjiban Surakhya Committee, Kaniha, a social outfit, also threatened to launch an agitation if the issue was not resolved soon.
Meanwhile, top officials of NTPC’s thermal power plant, requesting anonymity, blamed low quality coal for the problem. They said the machines at the power plant are designed to use a certain grade of coal for generating electricity. “We have informed the coal supplying firm regarding this”, said an official, assuring that the matter is being looked into and will be resolved in the next 2-3 days.