NTPC Kaniha seeks lifting of load curb order of pollution board

NTPC Ltd, the country’s biggest power generating utility, has sought lifting of load restriction on its two Stage-I units, each of 500 Mw at its 3,000 Mw (5x600) plant at Kaniha near Talcher.

“The Odisha State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB) has given consent order dated April 4, 2014, valid up to June 30 wherein it has restricted to operate Stage-I units at 400 Mw. NTPC has submitted representation dated May 3 for waiver of load restriction with justification data that stack emission is kept within the stipulated norm of 100 mg per cubic mm at full load with ammonia dosing system. Further, upgradation of electrostatic precipitator has already been started by Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (Bhel),” V B Fadnavis, executive director, NTPC Ltd wrote to P K Jena, principal secretary (energy). NTPC has also called for removal of bank guarantee, stating the Kaniha station is maintaining all environment parameters within the stipulated norms.

“NTPC TSTPS (Talcher Super Thermal Power Station) has submitted to OSPCB that all environment parameters are kept within acceptable limits and work is in progress in the areas advised by the OSPCB. As the station has taken all measures to keep the parameters within the stipulated norms and work is progressing on long term measures such as ESP upgradation, bank guarantee from the station, which is a PSU company, may be waived off”, the letter added. With the sanction of 120.19 acres of government forest land still pending, NTPC has urged that the lease sanction needs to be expedited.

During 2005-06, the Talcher tahsildar had forwarded 16 lease cases of government forest land in 16 villages for sanction of lease in favour of NTPC Kaniha. Since then, the lease cases are pending with the state revenue & disaster management department even though the clearance from the Union ministry of environment & forests (MoEF) has been obtained under Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980. Moreover, NTPC claimed that land premium, rent and cess has been paid up to 2013-14.