CGECB notice to BALCO for closure of thermal power plant

The Chhattisgarh Environment Conservation Board (CGECB) has issued notice for the closure of1200 MW thermal power plant of BharatAluminium Company (BALCO) Limited, located in the state's Korba district after major breach in its ash dam wall recently.
The notice pertaining to the closure, issued to the plant management, mentioned that ash slurry water from the damaged ash dam is polluting water of a Belgiri nullah (canal) passingnear the plant that drains into Hasdeo river.
Taking serious cognizance of violation of environment norms, Chhattisgarh Environment Conservation Board (CGECB) Chairman Aman Kumar Singhhas asked the boards regional officer, posted at Korba, for immediate necessaryaction in the direction to shut the plant under provisions of the WaterPollution (Prevention and Control) Act 1974, an official statement here said.

As per information, yesterday, Ash Dam (Ash Dyke) No. 6, collapsed andthousand tonnes ash slurry drained into Belgiri canal passing near the plant, it said.
Environment Conservation Board had asked BALCOmanagement for immediate measures to repair the dam, so that ash slurry could beprevented from going into the canal, which is connecting Hasdeo River, the release said.
Notably, Hasdeo river water is mostly used for irrigationand at some places for drinking purpose in the region.
Even as the situation has been reported under control at present, the CGECBwas planning to reconsider its earlier decision of giving no-objection-certificate (NOC) to BALCO to increasethe height of the ash dam of 1200-MW plant, the statement said.

Meanwhile, chairman Singh hasappealed all thermal power plants to strictly follow the norms defined by the CGECB.