Obstacle for coal or lignite based thermal power stations which sell fly ash

To establish a Coal based thermal power plant, the site is selected based on availability of coal, water, land, transportation facilities, proximity to coal mines, load centres etc. The fly ash is being utilized in different modes such as cement, reclamation of low lying area, ash dyke raising, mine filling, making bricks & tiles and construction of roads & embankments etc. 

Minister Piyush Goyal stated that as per Ministry of Environment and Forests Notification dated 3rd November 2009, all coal or lignite based thermal power stations are free to sell fly ash to the user agencies subject to the following stipulations, namely:

• The pond ash should be made available free of any charge on “as is where is basis” to manufacturers of bricks, blocks or tiles including clay fly ash products manufacturing unit(s), farmers, the Central and the State road construction agencies, Public Works Department, and to agencies engaged in backfilling or stowing of mines 

• At least 20% of dry Electro Static Precipitators, fly ash shall be made available free of charge to units manufacturing fly ash or clay-fly ash bricks, blocks and tiles on priority basis over other users and if the demand from such agencies falls short of 20% of quantity, the balance quantity can be sold or disposed of by the power station as may be possible. 

The obstacles in implementing the above measures are: 

• Low demand due to higher cost of end products such as bricks and tiles, road construction etc. 

• Apprehensions that filling of ash in low lying areas / mines and use in agriculture as manure may cause pollution. 

A monitoring committee in Ministry of Environment and Forests monitors the provisions of the notification on fly ash utilization, the Minister added.