MP pollution board asks Essar to pay ₹10 cr for spillage
The Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board (MPPCB) has sought an interim compensation of ₹10 crore from Essar Power MP Ltd (EPMPL) for the damage caused to the environment by a spillage of fly ash from the dyke of its Mahan Power Plant in Singrauli this month. The company called for a waiver of the payment.
The compensation was demanded in a letter dated August 14 written by the board to the power company, a copy of which was reviewed by HT.
The board’s action comes on the heels of the Singrauli district collector KVS Chaudhary imposing a fine of ₹50 lakh on the company for damages done to houses and crops of villagers in the vicinity of the plant. The spillage took place on the night of August 7.
Essar Power MP, which had attributed he incident to sabotage, said in its reply, “….The incident was beyond the reasonable control of anyone and unanticipated or unforeseen by the company and apparently not brought about at the instance of company, or which could not have been avoided as it was due to, inter alia, an act of God….”
A company official, in a statement, said, “We are unable to provide an authoritative response as we are yet to study the complete report.”
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