Down To Earth brings you the top environmental cases heard in the Supreme Court, the high courts and the National Green Tribunal
Jaypee Nigrie Super Thermal Power Plant
The Jaypee Nigrie Super Thermal Power Plant (JNSTPP), in Madhya Pradesh’s Singrauli is a super critical technology-based plant having a higher efficiency.
It, therefore, consumes less coal and produces proportionately less carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides sulphur dioxide and other pollutants. The plant’s ash utilisation in 2018-19 was 88.62 per cent and 109.57 per cent in 2019-20.
This was mentioned in the report filed by the JNSTPP with the National Green Tribunal (NGT) November 5, 2020.
There was a 100 per cent ash water recovery system (AWRS) in JNSTPP and electrostatic precipitators (ESP) were functional. The continuous emission monitoring systems were installed at stack, continuous ambient air quality monitoring system stations were linked with the Central Pollution Control Board and Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board server.
The ash dyke was constructed with upstream and downstream slopes. The ash pond was built over an area of 21.2 hectares and equipped with 100 per cent ash water recirculation facility to prevent any ash mixed water discharge, the report added.
The report said:
JNSTPP was operational under zero-discharge condition, the report stated. The effluent treatment plant and sewage treatment plant were fully functional. There is no discharge of effluent into Rihand reservoir or in any other river. Efforts have been made to utilize / dispatch 100 per cent currently generated fly ash and disposal of stocked fly ash.
The thermal power plant has approached the state district mines department for allocation of abandoned mines in Hardi, Paudi and Barseid stone quarries.
Brick fields
The NGT directed the West Bengal Pollution Control Board (WBPCB) to complete the task of carrying capacity study in the brick fields. The report has to be filed by February 28, 2021.
All the brick fields have been asked to complete the process for adoption of the zigzag technology within a set time period.
Fly ash utilisation
The NGT November 4 took up the management of fly ash generated by the thermal power plants (TPP).
The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEF&CC) in a notification required 100 per cent utilisation of fly ash by December 31, 2017. The NGT had, thus, directed preparation of action plans to achieve 100 per cent utilisation of fly ash and for its scientific disposal.
Report of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) filed September 4 stated that environmental compensation had been computed.
Out of 112 plants, two have paid while 102 have sought exemption. List of 21 abandoned mines has been finalised for utilization of fly ash.
A report was filed by the joint committee September 6 regarding environmental compensation for Vidhyanchal TPP and Essar TPP. For Essar Power MP Ltd, environmental damage cost was estimated at Rs 7.35 crores; it was Rs 104.16 crores for for NTPC Vindhnagar.
A second report was submitted by the committee constituted for assessment of compensation to the crop and agricultural productivity by Vidhyanchal TPP and Essar TPP. The committee made the following recommendation:
The NGT approved the reports of the Joint Committees and directed that further steps be taken in terms of the above reports. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) was asked to finalise the issue of compensation determination.
We are a voice to you; you have been a support to us. Together we build journalism that is independent, credible and fearless. You can further help us by making a donation. This will mean a lot for our ability to bring you news, perspectives and analysis from the ground so that we can make change together.
.png)
Comments are moderated and will be published only after the site moderator’s approval. Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name. Selected comments may also be used in the ‘Letters’ section of the Down To Earth print edition.