Koderma, Nov. 4: Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) will set up four new thermal power plants in the state.

The plants will be established in Koderma, Bokaro, Ramgarh and Maithon. The corporation will also upgrade the unit at Chandrapura. The proposed plants are Bokaro Steel thermal power plant (2x500 mw), Ramgarh thermal power plant (2x 500 mw), Maithon right bank thermal power plant (4x250 mw) and Koderma thermal power plant (2x500 mw).

“The five plants, including the upgraded Chandrapura unit, will generate 4,500 mw electricity which we hope would solve the power crisis in Jharkhand and its adjoining states,” a top DVC official said.

The Koderma district administration, officials from the Jharkhand State Pollution Control Board (JSPCB) and the DVC top brass from Calcutta and Hazaribagh were present at a public hearing where residents of 15 villages expressed their apprehension because they would be affected by the Koderma power project.

About 300 villagers were present at the meeting called by the district administration on the issue of land acquisition and the environmental impact of the proposed thermal power generation unit.

The district has already started acquiring land for the project, the responsibility of which has been given to the circle officers and land revenue deputy collectors. “A total of 2137.94 acres of government and raiyati (individual holders) land would be acquired for the project. As many as 2,857 individual plots will be acquired,” deputy commissioner of Koderma Sabhapati Kushwaha said.

“The required amount of fuel, i.e. coal, will be supplied by the BCCL’s North Karnpura collieries. The Koderma plant would consume 17,142 tonnes per day. The fly ash generation will be 6,857 tonnes per day, which stands at 40 per cent of the total fuel input. For the Koderma unit, the water source will be the Tilaiya reservoir of the Barakar river,” said a Calcutta-based DVC (environmental assessment department) official.

S. K. Narnoli, member-secretary of the Jharkhand State Pollution Control Board (JSPCB) said the board has already given a no-objection certificate for the Koderma project, as the environmental impact assessment suggests a meagre effect on the local eco-systems. “Burning of coal will give a maximum of .5 per cent sulphur, which is well within the permissible limits. The board would assess air, water and noise parameters at regular levels soon after the plant starts functioning. The chimney height has to be raised beyond a height of 274 metres from the ground level,” he said.