NTPC Coal Excavation In Jharkhand : Villagers Allege Main Water Sources Being Contaminated

www.indianpsu.com is in receipt of two complaints of contamination of natural water resources due to the operations of NTPC Limited, While the first comes from NTPC North Karanpura Thermal Power Station Tandwa Block in Chatra District of Jharkhand and the second is from Barkagaon in Hazaribagh District of Jharkhand, where NTPC Limited is extracting coal for its Pakri Barwadih Project, and local villagers have alleged that they are facing acute problems of different nature, due to coal mining in these areas.

Residents of Raham Village in Tandwa Block in Chatra District of Jharkhand, which is in very close proximity to NTPC North Karanpura Thermal Power Station, say that black and polluted water being released by the Power Plant has greatly contaminated water in the nearby Raham River, (a tributary of Damodar River) near Raham Village.

Due to this, water of the river is no longer safe even for animals to drink as it is said to be heavily contaminated with arsenic, iron, heavy metals and high pH. Moreover, hundreds of families residing in this area could be adversely affected by this. This has also become a big environmental issue in the area.

SEE VIDEO :

The other complaint is from Barkagaon in Hazaribagh District of Jharkhand, where NTPC Limited is extracting coal for its Pakri Barwadih Project, where local villagers have alleged that they are facing acute problems is farming as the main source of water, is being dumped with OB waste, blocking and obstructing the flow of water which they use for irrigation purposes.

Villagers say that the obstruction of the primary water source is causing irrigation related problems to the population six to seven villages but neither the District Administration nor NTPC Limited, is doing anything in this regard.

The villagers, on July 25, 2024, wrote a letter in this regard to District Collector Hazaribagh, Ms. Nancy Sahai which is given below for the benefit of the viewers of www.indianpsu.com –

A notable point in the complaint of the villagers is that if they dare to say or ask anything regarding this issue, local officials threaten that they would be implicated in (false/fabricated) legal cases.

SEE VIDEO :

www.indianpsu.com sent three emails to the CMD of NTPC and also to Ms. Nancy Sahai, District Collector, Hazaribagh, but as usual, these emails did not get any official reply or version.

We do agree that coal is very important for generation of electricity and other major functions in our country, but can contamination or water and/or blockage in supply of irrigation of crops, not be avoided?

Yes, coal is a necessity, but is playing with environment advisable?

We Report… You Decide….