Anti-pollution body asks Vedanta to shut five units in Odisha

The Odisha State Pollution Control Board(OSPCB) on Thursday issued notice to Vedanta Aluminium Ltd (VAL) and asked it to close down its five units at Katikela in Odisha's Jharsuguda district.

The company has been asked to close two units at the Inspection Test Plant (ITP) and three units at the Captive Power Plant (CPP).

"Consent to operate in respect of 3x135MW out of total 1215MW CPP is hereby revoked and you are hereby directed to close down operation of 3x135MW CPP forthwith and restrict power generation up to 810MW (6x135MW)," said the notice.

The pollution control board has also asked the company to comply with its directive not to discharge any industrial effluent and ash slurry from the ash pond area to any water body and land.

The OSPCB's move comes after a breach in Vedanta plant's ash pond No.2 embankment near Katikela on August 28 that led to inundation of ash on agricultural land at the village.

The incident led to severe resentment in the area as locals demanding compensation locked VAL's main gate.

--IANS

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