15 Sep 2012 Hindustan Times (Chandigarh)
Rajesh Moudgil
Ash dykes at Hisar thermal plant face breach threat
Designed for 20% ash disposal, they are being overloaded
We have been assured that pond ash will be lifted from Saturday onwards
ANURAG AGGARWAL HPGCL managing
director

CHANDIGARH: Filled to capacity for the past over three months, the two ash dykes (embankments) at the Khedar thermal plant in Hisar face the threat of a breach and possible overflow of water that will damage crops in nearby villages.

Sources in the Haryana Power Generation Corporation Ltd (HPGCL) said the position of the ash dykes had assumed a critical point, as the pond ash was not being lifted by any agency.

Since the construction of roads was in progress in nearby areas, the matter was taken up with the public works department (buildings and roads) for lifting and utilising pond ash, but in vain.

The department is prescribed by law to lift ash pond.
Sources said that the ash content in water released in the dykes had been more than the normal level of 20%, leading to the complete filling of ash dyke ponds.

The two ash dyke ponds have reached their upper limit in less than three years.

Sources further said that against the designed lifting of 6,000 tonne per day of dry ash, 500-600 tonne was being sent to ash silos while the remaining 95% ash was being pushed to ash dykes with the heavy inflow of water.

Spread over 150 acres, the two 7-metre deep ash dykes were designed for 20% ash disposal, but these days, the dykes were taking in much more load, sources said, adding that the slurry inflow with high ash content led to a critical situation in a short span against the normal period of about 20 years.

Taking a note of the issue, senior officials of the HPGCL and a team of engineers from the Central Electricity Authority visited the plant earlier this week to assess the situation and recommend ways to prevent the disaster.