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Orissa pollution control board passes strictures against Nalco

Imran Khan in Bhubaneswar

The Orissa State Pollution Control Board has passed strictures against blue chip public sector enterprise National Aluminium company (NALCO).

The stricture came following the recent ash pond breach incident, which caused widespread damage to over 20 villages.

Sources in the board said that NALCO has been asked to go for a test of its second ash pond's dyke. A weak dyke seemed to have caused the mishap, which led to flooding in several villages with ash slurry. NALCO has also been asked to furnish a safety clearance certificate every fortnight till the board is satisfied with the safety norms.

The dyke of the first ash pond has also come under scrutiny. The board has directed NALCO to get it tested. NALCO has to furnish a safety certificate to the board with certification from an expert committee.

The board also took strong exception to the fact that the water treatment plant of the pond has been lying defunct while untreated water is being released into Nandira rivulet and Brahmani river at present.

The pollution control board directed NALCO to undertake de-silting of Nandira upto its confluence point by May-end, while ash deposits in the crop fields must be cleared by the end of March.

In a bid to avoid ash deposit in the rivers, the board has directed NALCO to shift to dry ash system.The board has also suggested that the company should go for mini filling of the ash deposits. For the next two years,the river water would be monitored by the board.

Sources told rediff.com that if the directions are not complied with by NALCO, the board would appeal in the court of law seeking punitive action against the company.

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