Government sets target for fly ash use

Government sets target for fly ash use

The State Government has decided to set a target for use of fly ash in construction of government buildings, drainage and canal lining and manufacture of cement. Construction of 50 per cent of Government buildings with fly ash will start from April and gradually it will be increased to 100 per cent by the end of the financial year.

This was decided at a meeting presided by Chief Secretary Bijay Kumar Patnaik. The Chief Secretary has asked the Odisha State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB) to organise awareness camps among the potential users and producers of fly ash.

The State Government had constituted five technical working groups for suggesting the ways and means for use of fly ash. The suggestions of the committees were discussed at the meeting.

The main suggestions include building confidence among the people for use of fly ash, removal of social stigma regarding the use of ash, organising training and awareness camps at district/block and panchayat levels.

The committees have also recommended that manufacture of fly ash brick should be encouraged. Besides increasing use of fly ash bricks, the panels have suggested that cement manufacture with fly ash composition should be given a boost.

Fly ash should also be used for filling mining voids, levelling of low areas, construction of roads, embankments and dams. Considering the recommendations, it has been decided on principle that all new Government buildings will be constructed with fly ash bricks.

The Chief Secretary has asked the Irrigation Department to develop guidelines with scientific inputs for use of fly ash tiles in drainage and canal lining. It has been targeted to have 25 per cent of such lining with fly ash tiles during current financial year.

Patnaik has directed Works Department to give specifications regarding proportion of fly ash and cement mixture in fabrication of tiles and bricks. The department has also been asked to prescribe technical specifications for use of fly ash in cement manufacturing.

Official sources said steps have already been initiated to utilise 6,000 tonne of ash in road construction, 6,000 tonne in filling used mines, 600 tonne in cement manufacturing and 1,000 tonne in brick making.

Besides, a large quantity of fly ash is being used for raising the dyke heights of ash ponds also.

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