Environmental warning for Sambalpur-Jharsuguda

The Orissa State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB) has suggested the Orissa government to look into the environmental issues for long term sustainable development in the Sambalpur-Jharsuguda region, which has several steel, aluminium and thermal power projects.

A report, prepared by the former chairman of OSPCB, S P Nanda, stated that the industrial growth in this region indicated that steelmaking capacity would rise by about 3.6 times to 8.74 million tonne in next few years from the present 2.4 million tonne.

Thermal power generation in the region is likely to go up 24 times to 20,272 Mw from 849.5 Mw.

Aluminium capacity is expected to increase 9 fold to 31.6 lakh tonne per annum if all projects lined up were set up.

This did not include the ultra mega power projects, likely to come up there in future.

This could make Sambalpur-Jharsuguda region a major cluster of smelter and power houses, but it was unlikely such fast industrialisation could be sustained environmentally, the report argued.

It said such industrialisation could impact air quality, water resources, solid waste management, green house gas emissions, while the nearby Belpahar area may experience heat island effect.

Suspended particulate matter (SPM) may increase 18 times and sulpher di-oxide (SO2) in air concentration could rise 13 times.

High level of SPM and SO2 would pose health risks, the report warned.

Fluoride emitted from aluminium smelters could damage agriculture and forests, it added.

Withdrawal of water from the Hirakuud reservoir could increase 20 times to 2143 million litre per day (MLD).

Projected level of water drawal was estimated to be 0.645 million acre feet (MAF) against the state government’s plan to allocate 0.35 MAF per year.

With industries like iron and steel, thermal power and aluminium operating in high temperature, about 90 percent of the water would be evaporated.

The remaining 10 percent water would be discharged as effluent from industries.

The run-off water in the area could be contaminated with fluoride.

The region could witness increase in solid waste generation from the present level of 4.5 million tonne per annum (MTPA) to about 58 MTPA.

Disposal of waste of such magnitude would require conversion of 650 hectares of productive land.

Conversion of natural land into dump sites could speed up rate of soil erosion in the region.

The report warned that Sambalpur-Jharsuguda region could be a major hub of green house gas (GHG) emissions, which could rise 14 times.

Thermal power stations were likely to burn 3.5 lakh tonne of coal every day, resulting in rise of temperature in the vicinity.

Peak temperature in the region was likely to be at least 2-3 degree celsius higher than neighbouring areas, the report pointed out.