Taskforce suggests no more power projects in three districts

Pragativadi, Dec 1, 2008

Bhubaneswar: The taskforce on power projects formed by the state government has suggested no more power projects in Jharsuguda, Angul and Dhenkanal districts.

The taskforce led by its chairman and the development commissioner has suggested the state government that except these three aforesaid districts the venue for the 10 new proposals for setting up power projects should be decided in other districts.

The taskforce, in the meanwhile, has sent the project proposals to Nayagarh, Boudh, Phulbani, Kalahandi, Balangir, Mayurbhanj, Bhadrak and Keonjhar districts.

Justifying its suggestions, the taskforce has stated that the environment pollution in Jharsuguda, Angul and Dhenkanal districts have become acute as a number of power projects have been set up.

Besides, the water level of river Brahmani has drastically gone down, it said, and added that if more such projects come up in the vicinity of the river, it would be impossible to provide required water from the river.

Moreover, the pollution level in these districts would go beyond limits that would be extremely difficult to contain, it pointed out.

The 10 project proposals that the taskforce has sent to the other districts are from Jindal Steel and Power Ltd (1000 MW), Action Ispat and Power Ltd (600 MW), Sahara India Power Corporation (1320 MW), Era Power India (1320 MW), Centia Thermal Power (2640 MW), Hindustan Thermal Power (3000 MW), L&T Ltd (1320 MW), Orissa Integrated Power Ltd (4000 MW), BGR Energy Ltd (1200 MW) and Kalinga Power Corporation (500 MW).