Pollution board orders closure of Hindalco power plant in Odisha

The Odisha State Pollution Control Board (OPSCB) has asked aluminium maker Hindalco Industries Ltd to shut down the captive power plant of smelter plant near Hirakud in western Odisha following breach in its ash pond causing severe crop damage in the nearby areas.

The pollution watchdog ordered for immediate closure of 367 Mw thermal power plant of Hindalco, to avoid further release of ash into farm fields.

However, the Aditya Birla Group company has been permitted to draw power from the state grid to continue its smelting operation. And in case of disruption in power supply from the state grid, the smelter will have to be shut down, the order said.

Meanwhile, a senior company official said, if the CPP is put out of operation, the company will be forced to shut down its smelter.

The ash pond of aluminium smelter and power complex of Hindalco at Hirakud on Thursday developed cracks with overflowing ash mixed water inundating large chunk of agricultural land in the surrounding villages.

This is the second such accident involving the company within a month. The ash pond slippage has sparked panic among the local villagers.

Earlier on August 7, the ash pond had developed a similar breach following which the irate villagers had gheroed the sub collector’s office

The aluminium smelting plant of Hindalco has an installed capacity of 146,000 tonne per year. Its power plant produces about 3,000 tonne of ash every day.