Thermal power plants operating without TNPCB consent, says CAG report

Chennai:

North Chennai Thermal Power Station (NCTPS) Stage I and Tuticorin Thermal Power station (TTPS) are operating without the consent of Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board, according to a report of Comptroller and Auditor General of India.

The report said that TNPCB has yet to give its consent as the two plants did not revamp existing pollution control systems like Electrostatic Precipitators (ESPs) and not installing and connecting online continuous effluent monitoring systems with TNPCB’s server.

The report also stated that the thermal plants of Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (TANGEDCO) are functioning without adhering to the norms for air, water and noise pollution as the Suspended Particulate Matter (SPM) levels and carbon emissions remained high due to non-usage of clean beneficated coal, keeping the station heat rate higher than the prescribed level.

It is learnt that a quantum of 69.58 million tonnes of ash remained in the ash dyke in the three power plants which was against the norms of Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC).

The plants polluted sea and river due to basence of effluent treatment plant and sewage treatment plant, the report stated. Even the green belt areas for controlling noise pollution has not been maintained.

Against the revenue of Rs 625.93 crore earned by disposal of fly ash, Tangedco spent only Rs 61.91 crore on environment management which was against the MoEFCC guidelines.