NHAI hits fly-ash hump

BHUBANESWAR: As Odisha guns for more power from thermal sources in the years to come, the challenge of ever increasing generation of fly-ash looms menacingly large, prompting the State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) to crack the whip. The Board, for the first time, has issued a showcause notice to the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) for not using fly-ash in the widening of Panikoili-Remuli stretch of NH 215.  The move is aimed at paving the way for increasing fly-ash utilisation since the State is going to generate millions of tonnes in the next few years. Going by the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF), use of fly-ash is mandatory in 100-km radius of a thermal power plant. The Fly-Ash Notification of MoEF in 2009 clearly prescribed that ‘no agency, person or organisation shall, within a radius of 100 km of thermal power plant undertake construction or approve design for construction of roads or fly-over, embankment with top soil.’ Top soil is considered extremely essential for environment protection but the NHAI was found using it in road expansion work along the Panikoili-Remuli stretch. When the NHAI proposed its four and six- laning work, it was sanctioned the consent to establish with the condition to utilise fly-ash to maximum extent and the project authority had submitted to comply with the provisions of Environmental (Protection) Act. In its notice, the SPCB pointed out that the NHAI was yet to submit the compliance status whereas work for the road expansion has already begun. Interestingly, the NTPC-SAIL Power Company Ltd (NSPCL), a joint venture between the two PSUs for captive power generation, which is located at Rourkela had also communicated to NHAI for utilisation of fly-ash from its ash pond since it is located 55 km from Rajamunda. The Board which invoked the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act and Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act stated that since road widening of NH-215 has been started, the NHAI has to reply within 15 days as to why fly-ash is not being utilised in the construction though construction activities are being carried out within 100 km radius from thermal power plants operating in that area. The Board will initiate legal action if no response is received. The NHAI is expanding the NH 215 in two stretches - 163 km from  Panikoili to Remuli and 106 km from Remuli to Rajamunda. Contacted, General Manager, NHAI, Keonjhar, Chander Kant said, the notice is yet to reach them.