IIT, NIT to prepare fly ash utilisation report in Odisha

The Odisha government has decided to engage the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Bhubaneswar and National Institute of Technology (NIT), Rourkela for a research report on utilisation of fly ash being generated in the state.

While fly ash is being used for brick-making and road construction, the institutes will study the use of fly ash in other areas such as pre-fabricated roof, asbestos sheet and corrugated tiles.

"We would ask the two institutes to prepare report on use of fly ash in other areas. State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) would take technical support from IIT and NIT to use fly ash in making pre-fabricated roof, asbestos sheet and corrugated tiles," D.K. Behera, senior environmental scientist of SPCB told IANS.

Research projects for exploring the possibilities of use of fly ash can be formulated to study the techno-economic viability and sustainability in different sectors through IIT, Bhubaneswar and NIT, Rourkela.

The two institutions would also study the use of fly ash slurry for brick-making in the state, said Behera.

The state expects that fly ash generation in Odisha may touch 100 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) if all the installed and proposed thermal power plants (TPPs) in the state go into full capacity production.

Presently, the state generates about 25 mtpa fly ash per annum causing environment problem in the atmosphere.

Odisha generated about 24.52 million tonnes of fly ash in 2013-14. It is likely to touch 100 million tonnes per year if all TPPs envisaging a generation capacity of about 37,000 MW are commissioned.