THOOTHUKUDI: The fly ash brick manufacturing units in Thoothukudi have halted production as the thermal power plants (TTPs) in Tamil Nadu declined to supply them fly ash free of cost for the past fortnight. The decision of the TTPs follows an advisory issued by the Ministry of Power (MoP) on February 22 directing them to monetise fly ash. The advisory also ignored the clause for providing 20% of fly ash free of cost.
Over 3,000 private companies are involved in ash bricks manufacturing and over one lakh people are directly dependent on these industries for their livelihood. Fly ash is the main raw material for the bricks, while other input materials include quarry dust, lime, cement and gypsum. The industry flourished in the last 20 years as the Union government had mandated the coal and lignite based thermal power plants to dispose off at least 20% of the fly ash to brick manufacturers so that it can be converted into an eco-friendly products. Fly ash bricks and blocks have since become a major raw material for the construction industry.
However, the recent Ministry of Power advisory has ignored the earlier mandate, and asked TTPs to sell fly ash at rates arrived at through competitive bidding. Tamil Nadu fly ash brick and block manufacturers association president R Ravi said the tender criteria mandates the participants to have transactions to the tune of Rs 12.5 crore per year and an annual production of 50,000 tonnes of products. "Fly ash brick manufacturers are small players in the sector and their business may be valued at Rs 50 lakh to Rs 2 crore per annum. So, they cannot compete with large cement industries during auctions," he said.
One of the manufacturers told TNIE no fly ash unit took part in the recent stage-1 tender called for taking fly ash from TTPs in Chennai, due to the stringent criteria. The association's State secretary S Shashidhar told TNIE the brick, block, and tile manufacturing units are white category micro and cottage industries, which convert pollutant fly ash into eco-friendly products. "We request the Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) to kindly issue specific directions to the Ministry of Power to allocate at least 30 per cent fly ash, including bottom ash to brick manufacturers on priority basis," he said. Arul Raj, a brick manufacturer, suggested TTPs should provide a quota of at least 30% fly ash on a token price of `1 per tonne, or on fixed concession price, to avoid complications with tenders.
The MoP's advisory dated September 22, 2021, which mandated tendering of fly ash, was withdrawn this January 18 following the intervention of the Principal Bench of National Green Tribunal. However, the advisory issued on February 22 contradicts the very intent of the MoEFCC recommendation to convert the ashes into eco-friendly product and reduce the use of clay bricks which is made on fertile topsoil.
The industry has many first-time entrepreneurs because it's a low budget business and most of the manufacturers are aged between 28 and 45 years. When the fly ash brick manufacturing companies are shut down, it will lead to unemployment and shortage of bricks, the manufacturers said.