NTPC runs into a fly-ash problem with environment ministry

The ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) has asked for a study into pollution of groundwater by fly ash, a byproduct of power generation from coal.

The expert appraisal committee, the consultative body within the ministry that recommends grant of environmental clearance or otherwise, has asked the country’s largest coal-based power producer National Thermal Power Corp (NTPC) not to use fly ash as landfill or as agricultural manure — two methods of disposal till now considered safe.

Fly-ash disposal is one of the biggest environmental challenges facing coal-based power generation, which supplies around 80% of India’s total power needs.

“The committee also expressed its strong reservations considering that the available information is limited and not supported by long term scientific study,” it noted in the minutes of its meeting held earlier this month.

Pointing out that dumping fly ash on the ground, either as landfill or agricultural manure, poses serious risk of contaminating ground water with poisonous chemicals.

“Considering that fly ash is reported to contain about 48 elements including radioactive elements and toxic heavy metals (in mild dose), the committee advocated that unless scientific study rules out long term adverse health impacts, as such, this method of fly-ash disposal (in agriculture) shall not be resorted to,” it told the country’s biggest power producer. The committee urged NTPC not to “wait for external regulations when public health is concerned.”

Tightening of fly-ash disposal norms last year was part of the many new rules introduced by the current environment minister Jairam Ramesh after he took over charge early last year.

Increased scrutiny of industrial projects by the ministry has already stalled or cancelled many projects, while tighter monitoring and norms threaten to increase compliance costs for companies.

Ramesh has also demarcated a substantial chunk of India’s coal deposits under a ‘no go’ zone for mining as they are covered by ecologically dense forest areas. Both MoEF and the coal and power ministries have been at loggerheads of the tighter scrutiny.

The comments were made when NTPC was making a presentation on its ‘road map for the fly ash utilisation’ in the future.

According to the ministry’s fly ash utilistion notification issued a year ago, all thermal power plants must utilise at least 50% of their fly ash at the end of one year, 60% in two years, 75% in three years and 100 % in five years.

NTPC, which has 15 coal-based plants, said four of them dispose of 80% or more of their fly ash, five of the plants disposed of 30-60% and the remaining were yet to dispose of even 30% of the total produce properly.

The expert committee pointed out that according to NTPC’s roadmap, most of the ash was to be dumped back into the same area from which the coal had been mined out.

When NTPC pointed out that the Directorate General of Mines Safety had approved its plans to ‘back fill’ a mine in Talcher in Orissa, the committee pointed out that that option may only be utilised after a detail scientific study on long-term impact on the ground water, mine safety etc.