CHANDIGARH: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) constituted pollution monitoring committee in Punjab has recommended that the Talwandi Sabo Power Limited owned thermal power plant in Mansa district pay Rs 84.99 lakh as environmental compensation to farmers for damage caused to their crops due to unscientific management of fly ash.
The monitoring committee headed by Justice Jasbir Singh, former judge of Punjab and Haryana high court, recommended that the NGT impose the compensation on the power plant for restoration of environment quality. The Rs 84.99-lakh compensation recommended for farmers includes Rs 83.04 lakh for damage caused to cotton crop on 528 acres and Rs 1.94 lakh for damage caused to paddy crop on 375 acres.
PPCB to conduct groundwater monitoring
The committee report also asked the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) to carry out groundwater monitoring in a radius of 10km of the ash dyke of the thermal plant within 15 days to ascertain the impact of leaching, if any, through fixed borewells at the cost of the thermal plant.
It further asked PPCB to get a study conducted by a reputed institute within three months on the air quality model, based on Gaussian or any other model to assess the impact of the thermal plant in the area and concentration of pollutants responsible for damage to human beings and agricultural crops. Thereafter, based on the findings of the institute, the power plant will submit its action plan to PPCB within the next month, followed by industry compliance within next six months.
Residents of Raipur village had approached the NGT, highlighting that their crops had been adversely affected by the fly ash generated by the Talwandi Sabo thermal power plant spread over 2,100 acres in nearby Banawala village.
The petitioners also submitted that the radioactive and heavy metals in coal and fly ash have not only affected the soil but also caused air pollution on account of emissions from the power plant.
The monitoring committee recommended that the power plant undertake validation of online emission data captured by the online continuous emission monitoring system on six-monthly basis and provide a report to the PPCB for further analysis. It said that the power plant shall within three months develop a green belt of three rows of plants of broad leaf around its periphery to prevent coal dust and fly ash emissions. Also, a green buffer of appropriate width between the coal handling area and boundary wall of the industry towards the prominent wind direction, shall be provided within three months.
The power plant also needs to provide a pucca approach road towards the ash dyke area within two months and the ash deposited on the road be removed on a daily basis, said the committee.
The recommendations say that the PPCB should issue necessary directions to the thermal plant for utilisation of 100% dry fly ash for various usages.