New Delhi: Tamil Nadu’s power distribution company has been asked to remove ash slurry deposited in the Buckingham canal and Kosasthalayar river in the state, Union environment minister Harsh Vardhan told the Rajya Sabha on Monday.
He said the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation Limited (Tangedco) has also been asked to furnish a time-bound action plan for removal of ash slurry.
He was replying to a question by member of the House M. K. Kanimozhi on measures taken by government to protect the wetlands of Ennore creek. “Central government has also issued notification for utilisation of fly ash generated from coal or lignite-based power plants to be used for construction projects,” Vardhan said.
Other measures to protect wetlands, he said, include implementation of integrated scheme of National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Eco-systems (NPCA) and notification of the Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2010. “All the states have been advised to prioritise action for constitution of state wetland or lake authorities, identification and notification of wetlands,” Vardhan said.
