Post News Network
Cuttack, Dec 1: The Orissa High Court has admitted a PIL (public interest litigation) about the health hazards suffered by residents and issued notice to the state to take appropriate action against Jindal India Thermal Power Limited’s plant at Derang in Angul district.
The PIL filed by Kandarpa Behera and others held that the company’s coal powered thermal power plant has been causing health hazards and affecting the eco-system in the periphery areas.
“The 600 MW unit has been synchronized on coal and the operation of this thermal plant has caused serious impact on the environment and created stress in the local eco-system,” stated the petitioner.
The PIL further states that the operation of the power plant has affected the air quality in the surrounding region due to which the residents of Derang and other nearby villages were facing a number of lungs-related problems.
“The company’s unit has been using coal in the power plant and the coals are being crushed before being used in the plant for power generation. This process of crushing coal has been causing havoc by way of dust pollution and noise pollution in the locality,” the PIL stated.
Based on the findings of the petitioner, the High Court adopted the principle of ‘The Polluter Pays’ and asked the Opposition parties (state government and others) to act on the matter at the earliest.