The Talcher Super Thermal Power Station (TSTPS) at Kaniha is in trouble again. The State Pollution Control Board here has issued a show-cause to its authorities regarding emission levels of Suspended Particles Matter (SPM) that are allegedly higher than the prescribed norms.
The electro-static precipitator (ESP) at TSTPS is not functioning properly resulting in the high emission levels, regional officer of the State Pollution Control Board at Angul Anupam Behera said. The ESPs are meant for controlling the emission of fly ash from the boilers of the NTPC, Kaniha power plant. The 12 ESPs being used by the NTPC at Kaniha have become old and unable to control the emission, he alleged.
Behera said in a recent study by SPCB we collected samples from NTPC's stage-I and stage-II chimneys and found the SPM higher than the standard norms. So we have asked the NTPC authorities to control the emission by using new ESPs.
Earlier, the Board had issued notices concerning non-compliances for discharge of waste water, flu gas emissions, ambient air quality and disposal of ash by the NTPC management under Water (PCP) Act, 1974 and Air (PCP Act, 1981), the regional officer said.
The capacity of coal settling pits to treat wastewater and runoff water of the Coal Handling Plant (CHP) has not yet been increased as a result of which waster water is being released into the nearby river Tikira. Though the NTPC has undertaken construction of the third coal settling pit, it is yet to be completed, he alleged. "If the NTPC does not take any step in this regard we will take strong action," he said.
Earlier, the Orissa State Pollution Control Board had directed the NTPC to shut its four units; each consisting of 500mws. OSPCB had issued the order accusing NTPC of polluting the region and lack of space in ash pond to deposit ash.
People of Kaniha are also panicky due to the large-scale pollution caused by the plant in the past few days. "We are losing paddy and other crops every year because the ash water gushes into our field through cracked pipes and leakages in the ash pond," a resident of Kaniha village Sudhakara Pradhan said.
"The ash water gushes into river Tikira and other water bodies in the area regularly due to lack of maintenance of the pipes. Despite repeated reminders, the NTPC officials never took any steps in this regard', he alleged.
Purna Chandra Pradhan,a senior lecturer of Kaniha college who works for the safety of the environment in the area alleged, "The NTPC has become a bane for locals here as most of the people have been affected by air and water-borne diseases due to heavy ash content in both air and water in the area. Cracking and subsequent bursting of pipe lines has become a regular feature here. Yet the NTPC management never cares to check ash slurry flowing into the agricultural fields".
When contacted, the general manager (project in-charge) of TSTPS S K Singh refused to comment.
The electro-static precipitator (ESP) at TSTPS is not functioning properly resulting in the high emission levels, regional officer of the State Pollution Control Board at Angul Anupam Behera said. The ESPs are meant for controlling the emission of fly ash from the boilers of the NTPC, Kaniha power plant. The 12 ESPs being used by the NTPC at Kaniha have become old and unable to control the emission, he alleged.
Behera said in a recent study by SPCB we collected samples from NTPC's stage-I and stage-II chimneys and found the SPM higher than the standard norms. So we have asked the NTPC authorities to control the emission by using new ESPs.
Earlier, the Board had issued notices concerning non-compliances for discharge of waste water, flu gas emissions, ambient air quality and disposal of ash by the NTPC management under Water (PCP) Act, 1974 and Air (PCP Act, 1981), the regional officer said.
The capacity of coal settling pits to treat wastewater and runoff water of the Coal Handling Plant (CHP) has not yet been increased as a result of which waster water is being released into the nearby river Tikira. Though the NTPC has undertaken construction of the third coal settling pit, it is yet to be completed, he alleged. "If the NTPC does not take any step in this regard we will take strong action," he said.
Earlier, the Orissa State Pollution Control Board had directed the NTPC to shut its four units; each consisting of 500mws. OSPCB had issued the order accusing NTPC of polluting the region and lack of space in ash pond to deposit ash.
"The ash water gushes into river Tikira and other water bodies in the area regularly due to lack of maintenance of the pipes. Despite repeated reminders, the NTPC officials never took any steps in this regard', he alleged.
Purna Chandra Pradhan,a senior lecturer of Kaniha college who works for the safety of the environment in the area alleged, "The NTPC has become a bane for locals here as most of the people have been affected by air and water-borne diseases due to heavy ash content in both air and water in the area. Cracking and subsequent bursting of pipe lines has become a regular feature here. Yet the NTPC management never cares to check ash slurry flowing into the agricultural fields".
When contacted, the general manager (project in-charge) of TSTPS S K Singh refused to comment.
