The National Green Tribunal (NGT) wants to reduce pollution from power plants but the other concerned agencies — coal companies, Mahagenco and Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) — don't seem to be showing much interest in the matter.
A Right to Information (RTI) query shows that Koradi and Khaparkheda power plants continue to get high ash content coal even after NGT issued a directive on October 15, 2015. Data obtained by activist Anil Wadpalliwar shows that in November 2015, the average ash content in the coal received by Koradi power plant was 41.50%. This was up from 38.34% in August last year. Officials of Khaparkheda plant did not provide an average figure in the reply but the data provided shows that coal companies continue to supply coal with over 40% ash content.
Western Coalfields Limited (WCL) spokesperson MK Singh said that conceptual planning of washing coal had been done but added that there was not much physical progress on the front. It is not WCL alone which is the culprit, but the other coal companies too supply substandard coal. Neither Mahagenco managing director Bipin Shrimali nor its spokespersons could be contacted despite repeated attempts. On earlier occasion the company officials had said that they were helpless as government coal companies had a monopoly over supply of coal.
MPCB, which has been asked by NGT to ensure that power plants get clean coal, has only issued notices to Mahagenco and WCL asking them to use good quality coal. It has not bothered to take any concrete steps. MPCB regional officer Anil Mohekar said that he had sent a proposal to the head office to sanction coal testing facility in Nagpur laboratory. "We have got the coal supplied to Mahagenco from other government agencies. We will share the results and our plan of action with NGT," he said.
Wadpalliwar charged all these agencies with playing with lives of Nagpurians. "The generation capacity of Koradi plant is going to increase by another 1,300MW. This means increase in power plant emissions to an unprecedented level. MPCB closes down industries if they pollute but when it comes to power plants they develop cold feet. What is a common citizen supposed to do," he asked.
The activist said that if MPCB did not take action on coal companies and Mahagenco soon then he would file a contempt petition in NGT. "I will also explore the option of filing a police complaint against MPCB, WCL and Mahagenco," he told TOI.
(Source: TOI, Jan 16, 2016 )
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