Cuttack, April 18: The Orissa High Court has issued a stay order on State Pollution Control Board (SPCB)’s order for closure of Jindal thermal power plant in Angul.
The SPCB on March 23 had ordered for immediate halt of all operations at Angul thermal power plant of Jindal India Thermal Power (JITP).
The SPCB's direction came following reports that the plant was discharging wastewater directly into the Kaudia Nallah, which in turn feeds into Tikira River.
However, the single judge bench of Justice SK Panigrahi issued a stay order hearing on JITP’s petition on April 15 and posted the matter to July 25 for further consideration along with a response from SPCB.
Justice Panigrahi felt the closure order was “a disproportionate response, given the company has already achieved a high level of compliance and is making efforts to reach full compliance.”
“Moreover, it is assured by the company and an independent agency that the discharge of treated waste water is not hazardous to the health of the people or the environment. Consequentially, the closure of the company may indeed seem unjustifiable for it is important to balance environmental considerations with the practical realities faced by businesses,” Justice Panigrahi observed.
“The abrupt closure of these facilities could consequently have profound social and economic repercussions, including potential job losses and discernible disruptions to the power supply,” Justice Panigrahi also observed.
