Industrial Water Demand and Extraction soars in Odisha : More Water Conflicts on Anvil!

Orissa inks MoUs with five IPPs
Saturday, 10 Apr, 2010

The Orissa Government on 9 April 2010 signed MoUs with five Independent Power Producers (IPPs) to set up thermal power projects in the state.

The projects with a combined capacity of 4,800 MW are likely to be set up at a total investment of Rs 23,201.69 crore. The total land requirement for these projects has been assessed at 4,360 acre. The state government is likely to procure 600 MW from these projects.

The five IPPs who have signed the MoUs included BGR Energy System, JR Power Gen, Adhunik Power & Natural Resources, Maa Durga Thermal Power Company and Vijaya Ferro and Power.

JR Powergen plans to set up a 1,980 MW thermal power plant at Kishorenagar in Angul district at an investment of Rs 7,988 crore. BGR Energy Systems is likely to set up a 1,320 MW power plant at Bhapur in Nayagarh district at an investment of Rs 6,287 crore.

Likewise, Adhunik Power and Natural Resources is planning to set up a 1,320 MW power plant at Birmaharajpur in Subarnapur district at an estimated cost of Rs 8,079.74 crore. Maa Durga Thermal Power intends to set up a 60 MW (2x30MW) power plant at Tangi in Khordha district, involving an investment of Rs 296.95 crore. Vijaya Ferro and Power will set up a 120 MW power plant at an investment of Rs 550 crore at Kesinga (Turla Khamar) in Kalahandi district.

While BGR Energy, JR Power Gen and Adhunik Power are likely to source water from the Mahanadi river system, Maa Durga Thermal Power will draw water from Birupa river and Vijaya Ferro from Tel river.

Link : http://www.projectstoday.com/News/NewsDetails.aspx?smid=24&nid=30579

Industrial units soak water bodies dry

NIE
10 Apr 2010

ROURKELA: In the mad rush for industrialisation Sundargarh district, once known for its bounty of nature, seems set to turn barren due to acute shortage of water.
The fast depleting surface and groundwater tables is quite noticeable but there looks to be no immediate plan to tide over the looming crisis.

Sources said to produce around 9,500 TPD (tonnes per day) 47 sponge iron plants are consuming 7.60 lakh cubic metre (one cubic metre is of 1,000 litres) of water and Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) needs 1.60 lakh cubic metres of water a day for steel making. This is apart from the water consumption made by cement major OCL, nearly 90 induction furnaces and rolling mills, two explosive factories and a few hundred small industrial units and brick-kilns. Plundering of the natural water bodies and groundwater has assumed a drastic dimension! Depletion of water level in the Brahmani into which the river Sankh and Koel fall, should be an eye-opener!

Adhunik Metalliks Ltd (AML), the largest private sector integrated steel manufacturer in the district, along with a few others directly draws water from the river. AML consumes over 7,200 cubic metres daily to produce 700 TPD of sponge iron. Use of mechanised bore wells by more than 40 other sponge iron units has further added to the troubles of the common man. The groundwater level is at an all-time low. Industries having deep bore wells are armed with sanctions of the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA), but have not bothered to measure extractions. The worst victim of all these industrial developments is the farm sector. Scanty rainfall during the last kharif season dealt a body blow with crop loss of more than 50 per cent. The ongoing rabi season does not portray a rosy picture, considering the drying up of natural water bodies.

Orissa State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB) regional officer Simanchal Dash felt the need to recharge the water resources, adding industrial units are being encouraged for that. After goading, a few sponge iron plants had dug up ponds or installed water harvesting structures. Others lack seriousness, he added.