8.0.763(E).- Whereas a draft notification containing certain directions was published, as required by subrule (3) of rule 5 of the Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986 under the notification of the Government of India in the Ministry of Environment and Forests number S.O. 453(E) dated 22nd May, 1998 inviting objections and suggestions from all persons likely to be affected thereby, before the expiry of the period of sixty days from the date on which the copies of the Gazette of India containing the said notification are made available to the public;
And, whereas, copies of the said Gazette were made available to the public on the same date;
And, whereas, the objections and suggestions received from the public in respect of the said draft notification have been duly considered by the Central Government;
Where as it is necessary to protect the environment, conserve top soil and prevent the dumping and disposal of fly ash discharged from coal or lignite based thermal power plants on land;
And, whereas, there is a need for restricting the excavation of top soil for manufacture of bricks and promoting the utilisation of fly ash in the manufacture of building materials and in construction activity within a specified radius of fifty kilometers from coal or lignite based thermal power plants;
And, Whereas, the Hon'ble High Court of Judicature, Delhi vide its order dated 25th August, 1999 in CWP No. 2145/99 Centre for Public Interest Litigation, Delhi v/s Union of India directed that the Central Government to publish the final notification in respect of fly ash on or before 26th October, 1999;
Now, therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1), read with clause (v) of sub-section (2) of section 3 and section 5 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 (29 of 1986); and in pursuance of the orders of the Hon'ble High Court, Delhi stated above, the Central Government hereby issues the following directions which shall come into force on the date of the publication of this notification, namely:-
(1) No person shall within a radius of fifty kilometers from coal or lignite based thermal power plants, manufacture clay bricks or tiles or blocks for use in construction activities without mixing at least 25 per cent of ash (fly ash, bottom ash or pond ash) with soil on weight to weight basis. '
(2) The authority for ensuring the use of specified quantity of ash as per para (1) above shall be the concerned Regional Officer of the State Pollution Control Board or the Pollution Control Committee as the case may be. In case of non-compliance, the said authority, in addition to cancellation of consent order issued to establish the brick kiln, shall move the district administration for cancellation of mining lease. The cancellation of mining lease shall be decided after due hearing. To enable the said authority to verify the actual use of ash, the thermal power plant shall maintain month-wise records of ash made available to each brick kiln.
(3) In case of non-availability of ash from thermal power plant in sufficient quantities as certified by the said power plant, the stipulation under para (1) shall be suitably modified (waived/ relaxed) by the concerned State/Union Territory Government.
(4) Each coal or lignite based thermal power plant shall constitute a dispute settlement committee which shall include the General Manager of the thermal power plant and a representative of All India Brick and Tile Manufacture's Federation (AIBTMF). Such a committee shall ensure unhindered loading and transport of ash without any undue loss of time. Any unresolved dispute shall be dealt with by a State/Union Territory level committee to be set up by State/Union Territory Government comprising Member Secretary of the State Pollution Control Board/Pollution Control Committee, representatives of Ministry of Power in the State/Union Territory Government and a representative of AIBTMF.
2. Utilisation of ash by Thermal Power Plants.
All coal or lignite based thermal power plants shall utilise the ash generated in the power plants as follows: -
(1) Every coal or lignite based thermal power plant shall make available ash, for at least ten years from the date of publication of this notification, without any payment or any other consideration, for the purpose of manufacturing ash-based products such as cement, concrete blocks, bricks, panels or any other material or for construction of roads, embankments, dams, dykes or for any other construction activity.
(2) Every coal or lignite based thermal power plant commissioned subject to environmental clearance conditions stipulating the submission of an action plan for full utilisation of fly ash shall, within a period of nine years from the publication of this notification, phase out the dumping and disposal of fly ash on land in accordance with the plan. Such an action plan shall provide for thirty per cent of the fly ash utilisation, within three years from the publication of this notification with further increase in utilisation by atleast ten per cent points every year progressively for the next six years to enable utilisation of the entire fly ash generated in the power plant atleast by the end of ninth year. Progress in this regard shall be reviewed after five years.
(3) Every coal or lignite based thermal power plant not covered by para (2) above shall, within a period of fifteen years from the date of publication of this notification, phase out the utilisation of fly ash in accordance with an action plan to be drawn up by the power plants. Such action plan shall provide for twenty per cent of fly ash utilisation within three years from the date of publication of this notification, with further increase in utilisation every year progressively for the next twelve years to enable utilisation of the entire fly ash generated in the power plant.
(4) All action plans prepared by coal or lignite based thermal power plants in accordance with sub-para (2) and (3) of para 2 of this notification, shall be submitted to the Central Pollution Control Board/Committee and concerned, State Pollution Control Board/Committee and concerned regional office of the Ministry of Environment and Forests within a period of six months from the date of publication of this notification.
(5) The Central and State Government Agencies, the State Electricity Boards, the National Thermal Power Corporation and the management of the thermal power plants shall facilitate in making available land, electricity and water for manufacturing activities and provide access to the ash lifting area for promoting and setting up of ash-based production units in the proximity of the area where ash is generated by the power plant.
(6) Annual implementation report providing information about the compliance of provisions in this notification shall be submitted by the 30th day of April every year to the Central Pollution Control Board, concerned State Pollution Control Board/Committee and the concerned Regional Office of the Ministry of Environment and Forests by the coal or lignite based thermal power plants.
3. Specifications for use of ash-based products.-
(1) Manufacture of ash-based products such as cement, concrete blocks, bricks, panels or any other material or the use of ash in construction activity such as in road laying, embankments or use as landfill to reclaim low lying areas including back filling in abandoned mines or pitheads or for any other use shall be carried out in accordance with specifications and guidelines laid down by the Bureau of Indian Standards, Indian Bureau of Mines, Indian Road Congress, Central Building Research institute, Roorkee, Central Road Research Institute, New Delhi, Building Materials and Technology Promotion Council, New Delhi, Central Public Works Department, State Public Works Departments and other Central and State Government agencies.
(2) The Central Public Works Department, Public Works Departments in the State/Union Territory Governments, Development Authorities, Housing Boards, National Highway Authority of India and other construction agencies including those in the private sector shall also prescribe the use of ash and ash-based products in their respective schedules of specifications and construction applications, including appropriate standards and codes of practice, within a period of four months from the publication of this notification.
(3) All local authorities shall specify in their respective building bye-laws and regulations the use of ash and ash-based products and construction techniques in building materials, roads, embankments or for any other use within a period of four months from the date of publication of this notification.
[F. No. 16-2/95-HSMD]
V RAJAGOPALAN, Jt.. Secy.