Singrauli (Madhya Pradesh): Fly ash emanating from the dumping ground of National thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) plant at VindhyaNagar like serpents is posing a hazard to the health of over 1,000 people. The fly ash is dumped at Waidhan in Vindhyanagar, the heart of the district. In winters, there is no problem, but in summers, difficulties for the citizens increase, because the fly ash dumping ground is open and dry winds blow away fly ash everywhere in the city. It causes danger to residents. It sometimes blackens the sky over the city.
The residents of the area demanded the administration to shift them from that place or do something to cover fly ash properly, so that it does not harm anyone. There is a human settlement 100 meters off the fly ash dumping ground in Vindhyachal. Of the 500 people living in that area, 90% are BPL card holders. Even those who are living in the areas, one and a half kilometers from the dumping ground, are facing problems. Similarly, there are two fly-ash dumping grounds: One at Shahpur in the district headquarters belonging to NTPC and another at Siddhikhurd owned by a private company. Both the fly ash dumping grounds have turned into a veritable chamber for pollution.
Although nearly 1000 people are facing problems, neither the administration nor the power companies are paying attention to it. Residents of the area are fed up with fly ash which covers their clothes, foods, roof and walls of their houses. Besides wind, the dumpers plying on the roads also raise fly ash that enters the houses of the residents. The angry residents said if the administration did not take any action, they would launch an agitation.
According to collector of Singrauli Arun Kumar Parmar, an order was issued to stop transporting fly ash on open dumpers. On the other hand, public relations officer of NTPC Vindhyanagar unit, Siksha Gupta, said several measures had been taken to stop spreading of fly ash from dumpers. Sprinklers and fogging machines have also been installed to stop spreading of fly ash, she said. A proposal for setting up green tents is being prepared to stop fly ash and the company will take all the measures to save people, she said.
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