Pollution board refuses consent to two Chandra power units

Nagpur: Maharashtra Pollution Control Board’s (MPCB) high-level committee has refused approval to two new units of Mahagenco’s Chandrapur Super Thermal Power Station over the company’s failure to put pollution control measures in place. These units of 500 MW each were supposed to be commissioned years ago.
MPCB’s consent appraisal committee headed by additional chief secretary, environment, Malini Shankar passed strictures on Mahagenco and asked its managing director to be present for hearing before the chairperson.According to minutes of meeting held on October 9, Mahagenco has not completed basic pollution control systems like effluent and sewage treatment plants at new units No 8 and 9 at CSTPS. “Sub Regional Office, Chandrapur, reported that the industry has not completed the works of ETP and STP. It was decided to return the application. Also environment clearance obtained from MoEF and other permissions from the MPCB have lapsed and require revalidation,” the committee said.
CSTPS’ Unit 8 was supposed to be commissioned in December 2009 while Unit 9 was to be ready in March 2010. CSTPS chief engineer (projects) PR Shingade told TOI work on ETP and STP will be completed soon. “We have made temporary arrangement for treating effluent. Sewage treatment facility is already available at our residential colony. We will comply with all conditions soon. Target is to commission Unit 8 by end of October and Unit 9 by March 2016,” he said. Shingade added units got delayed to a great extent due to constraints at the site.
It is not for the first time the Mahagenco is neglecting pollution control. The power generation company had sought approval to commission three new units of Koradi Thermal Power Station (KTPS) also before putting in place pollution control systems. The committee had refused permission for that last month.
The committee renewed consent to operate the existing units at Chandrapur as well as Koradi considering the requirement of power in the state. “Bank guarantee of Rs 27.50 lakh of CSTPS and Rs 25 lakh of KTPS was forfeited earlier. Still the units are not complying with conditions. Air and water pollution are exceeding the limits. Managing director of Mahagenco is to be separately called for personal hearing before the committee’s chairperson,” the committee said.
In the same meeting, the committee approved renewal of consent to operate for two units of 60 MW each of Gupta Energy’s plant at Ghugus. Also, approval accorded to renew consent to operate of Adani Power Plant’s Tirora thermal power station subject to conditions. The committee decided to forfeit the company’s bank guarantee of Rs 2 lakh for dumping fly ash at 3-4 locations.
The committee renewed the consent to operate NTPC’s Mauda thermal power station after forfeiting Rs 5 lakh bank guaranteeing for causing pollution over the prescribed limits. Reliance’s Vidarbha Industries Power Plant, Butibori, also got consent renewed but had bank gurantee of Rs 12 lakh forfeited for causing pollution.