Odisha has achieved 81 per cent utilisation of the fly ash generated during the year 2017-18, said official sources here on Thursday. Chief Secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi held a meeting to review the usage of fly ash and called for cent per cent utilisation.

The meeting was attended by Additional Chief Secretary Forest & Environment Suresh Chandra Mohapatra and the Member Secretary State Pollution Control Board Debidatta Biswal p. Companies were asked to prioritize the matter for preventing any environmental hazard.

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The law enforcement agencies and departments were directed to deal with the violations stringently in interest of the safety and health of the people.

Development Commissioner R. Balakrishnan said apart from traditional ways of utilisation, the flash generating companies must identify new avenues for utilisation of greater amount of the ash. Further, Chief Secretary Sri Padhi directed the companies to display fly ash stock in their websites.

They were directed to provide transport free fly ash for PMGSY and other asset creation projects of the Government within 300 Km of distance from their companies. This transport cost free delivery would be limited to 100 Kms for other projects and manufacturers.

Beyond 100 to 300 kms of distance, the fly ash would be delivered by them on transport cost sharing basis for manufacturing and other commercial projects.

Talking to media persons, Mr Biswal said, “We are regularly monitoring 40 thermal power plants of more than 10MW capacity. Fly ash utilisation in the State is at an increasing rate. In the year 2016-17 around 32 MT of ash was generated by different thermal power companies against which 68 per cent was utilised which was higher than the national average.In 2017-18 , the utilisation has gone up to around 81 per cent against almost the same amount of generation (32 Million ton). It is expected that the total generation during the current year would also remain around 32 MT. All out efforts would be made to ensure 100per cent utilisation during the current year”.

Around 77 per cent of the utilisation is being made in the sectors like brick making, dyke raising, land development and road making. Chief Secretary has directed to enhance utilisation in road making and void filling.