Bhubaneswar, Sept. 13: The Orissa government has taken some policy decisions regarding free power supply by the coal washery reject-based power plants in the state.

The decisions were taken following recommendations by the State Level Single Window Clearance Authority on coal mining, coal washery and washery reject-based power plants. In May, the High Level Clearance Authority had accepted the recommendations at its meeting here.

Coal washery reject-based power plants in Orissa are now required to supply 33 per cent free power to an agency authorised by the state government. The power plant developers would also contribute at the rate of six paise per unit of energy generated by them annually towards an Environment Management Fund.

The government, as a matter of policy, has also decided to restrict set up of coal washing plants to coal mining lease areas or near the mining areas, so that ash generated by the plants could be used for filling the mining voids with ease.

It was also decided that since coal washing did not require good quality water, the company or the developer concerned would use mine drainage water for their processing needs. Moreover, they would be expected to explore and adopt the dry washing technologies. Rainwater harvesting would be mandatory for the coal washing plants.

While reject-based power project operators would be asked to set up value addition plants for utilisation of fly ash in cement and brick manufacturing, the coal companies would contribute towards a fund for environment protection, rehabilitation and resettlement of people in the coal bearing areas. The steel and mines department would decide the fund size.

The department has constituted a panel to examine the options of realising contributions from coal mining companies and other related matters. The panel, which has commissioner-cum-secretary of the steel and mines department, as its chairman, includes member secretary of the state pollution control board, additional secretaries of the steel and mines department, the forest and environment department and the revenue and disaster management department as its members. It will also have three other members apart from a member convenor.

The government has decided that washery reject-based power plants should make compensation for fly ash generated by them in tune with the decisions taken in this regard by the forest and environment department and the state pollution control board.