ODISHA is set to become a powerhouse of the country. Over the past seven years, the state has signed several memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with public and private firms to produce 50,000 MW thermal power. The state is proud of this achievement, but experts are concerned over an environmental threat—fly ash, the notorious waste product of coal-fired plants, known to ruin agricultural land.
Odisha may witness production of about 100 million tonnes fly ash annually if all the thermal power projects become operational.