Pollution board forms cell to monitor fly ash use

The State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) has formed a fly ash cell to monitor its use. The cell is expected to ensure effective utilisation of fly ash generated by power plants.

"A decision for setting up the cell has been taken by the board and the modalities for the future functioning of the cell are likely to be fixed in a month," said Akhila Kumar Swar, senior environmental engineer, SPCB.

The cell will monitor the progress of use of fly ash, he added.

The SPCB has already instructed the cement companies to enhance the use of fly ash to 30 per cent and furnish annual statement on quantity of fly ash used in their plants.

The pollution control watchdog has also directed the thermal power companies operating in the state to set up cement plants near their units or have linkages with the existing cement units.

Odisha with 11,400 Mw thermal power generation capacity produces about 24 million tonne of fly ash annually. The ash generation is likely to increase to about 130 million tonne per annum after the commissioning of proposed power plants with envisaged capacity of 48,000 Mw.

Presently, fly ash utilisation in the state is only 54-55 per cent. About 31 per cent of the fly ash generated is used for land and mine void filling, 6.94 per cent for ash pond dyke raising and 9.74 per cent for other purposes like cenosphere, soil remediation and leveling of common spaces.

The cumulative fly ash accumulation in ash ponds and mounds is pegged at around 93.86 million tonne in last 12 years.