- CREA report revealed
Chandrapur, Sunil Dahiya, an expert of The Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), says that hundreds of people are dying every year in Chandrapur district due to pollution. In this, the pollution of Chandrapur Super Thermal Power Plant is highest. The pollution of CTPS is affecting not only the city of Vidarbha but also Mumbai, Pune, Nanded.
According to the report of CREN, a total of 280 people died in the year 2020 due to pollution of CTPS. This includes 85 people from Chandrapur, 62 from Nagpur, 45 from Yavatmal, 30 from Mumbai, 29 from Pune, 29 from Nanded.
CREA had observed the situation of CTPS in 2020-21. A report was prepared on the results of Chandrapur’s energy project based on coal on public health. It has been said in the report that this thermal power plant running on stone coal is 150 km away from Nagpur. Air pollution has increased in a big way due to the units of this project of 2920 MW capacity. This is having the opposite result on the public health of the people of Chandrapur and Nagpur.
Increased proof of taking leave due to illness
Citizens are more prone to respiratory diseases due to air pollution caused by this project. Due to this, the proof of taking leave has increased. In the year 2020_21, 34 thousand sick leave days of employees have been registered in Chandrapur and 40 thousand in Nagpur.
Green Tribunal punished CTPS
According to the CREA report, the air quality and rules are clearly being violated. This study by CREA has been prepared on the background of National Green Tribunal. In January 2022, the National Green Tribunal had penalized for violation of pollution control rules. The decision given by the Green Tribunal against the local thermal power station on the issue of pollution has been postponed by the Supreme Court, giving relief to the CTPS. The National Green Tribunal on January 19 gave its verdict against the CTPS on the issue of pollution While pronouncing a penalty of 5 crore to CTPS and for setting up adequate machinery for prevention of pollution, CTPS had been fixed for 3 months, after that orders were issued to pay a penalty of one crore every month. The Tribunal had also ordered to deposit this amount with the Maharashtra Pollution Board.
Impact on people’s efficiency – Dahiya
According to Sunil Dahiya of Mumbai, the air pollution of CTPS is affecting the people. The number of patients of respiratory diseases is highest. Along with this, the evidence of taking leave due to this disease has increased. This has had an impact on the efficiency of the people.
The effect of pollution up to several kilometers away – Pvt. Chopne
Working in the environmental sector, Pvt. Suresh Chopne says that the result of air pollution of CTPS is not only on the people around but on the people many kilometers away. Due to the spread of such pollution along the direction of wind south_north and north-south, the health of old people, children and pregnant women are being affected on a large scale.
All efforts for pollution control – CTPS Administration
The CTPS administration is committed to stop the alleged pollution from the power station and is working on a war footing in that direction. High Efficiency Electrostatic Precipitator is implemented for pollution control for all the seven units currently working in CTPS. Along with this, over fire air technology is employed in the above units, due to which the emission of deadly gases is being controlled.
The administration also informed that, monitoring system has been installed at total 4 places in CTPS to know Air Quality Index, the data of which is being regularly transmitted to MPCB and CPCB under online system. Water sprinklers have been installed there, fogger machines are being used to control dust.