Bhubaneswar, Oct. 17: The Orissa government today asked Mahanadi Coal Field Limited (MCL) to submit periodic reports on coal supply to the power generating units both in the private and public sector.

The direction came during a meeting chaired by the chief secretary Bijay Patnaik. Officials of the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), MCL and the National Aluminium Company (Nalco) attended the meeting.

Orissa energy secretary G. Mathivathanan said: “MCL has assured us to supply coals to the power generating units within the state.”

MCL also informed the government that the situation regarding supply of coals to different units had improved. The government today decided to constitute a high-level committee under the State Pollution Control Board to look into the use of fly ash produced by different power-generating units.

It was decided that MCL would be asked to fill up the mining void with the fly ash. Now, the MCL has left the four mines void.

Member secretary of the State Pollution Control Board Siddhanta Das said: “Orissa is producing 8,000MW of power and about 18 to 20 millions of ash is being generated a year. As the government plans to produce nearly 50,000MW, a huge amount of coal would be burnt and the ash production would go up by five times. This will be a serious threat.”

He further said that as the power was an indicator of development, one could not stop setting up the thermal power units. “Let us have industries, but pollution control must be ensured,” Das said.

It was also decided at the meeting that steps would be taken for the shifting of three villages from the core areas. People will be taken into confidence before shifting of the villages. The government also asked MCL and the NTPC to set up industrial training institutes and create employment opportunities for the local people.