Angul June, 29: Local people have endorsed the proposal for expansion of the Talcher Thermal Power station (TTPs) which is run by the National Thermal Power Corporation.

A meeting, called by the authorities to secure the local support for the proposed 460MW project, went off peacefully. As per the environment laws, the local people must give their consent for the project expansion.

Many people from five local gram panchayats attended the meeting and extended their support to the public sector undertaking’s new project. The TTPs is being expanded with two supercritical of 660MW units on its own land.

The plant was taken over by the corporation in 1995 from the erstwhile Orissa State Electricity Board during the chief ministership of the late Biju Pattanaik in a very bad condition. While the 460MW power plant is dedicated to the state, its share from the 1320MW expansion project would be 60 per cent. The project work is expected to be over by 2016.

Additional district magistrate of Angul D. Senapati and the regional officer of the state pollution control board Anupam Behera attended today’s meeting. Over 40 people from five panchayats spoke at the meeting.

“The meeting was cordial and peaceful with almost no voice of dissent. Many people have stressed on job for the local people, peripheral development and protection of environment. No one opposed the project on environmental grounds, said Behera.

Digamber Garnaik, a villager, said: “We welcome the expansion, but the corporation authorities should ensure zero discharge from the power plant. For long, the local people have been deprived of employment in the plant. The corporation must recruit local people.”

“In the past, people have suffered owing to emission from the old plant. This would not happen. With the expansion of the power major, more jobs would be available and interest of the local people should be protected,” said Pratap Gadnaik of Santhpara village.

Social activist Purna Chandra Sahu, however, submitted a memorandum accusing the corporation of concealing many facts in their plan. “The area where temperature goes up beyond 50 degrees in summer, power units will burn more coal. This is not acceptable,” the memorandum stated among other things.

“The corporation is conscious about pollution control measures. As the expansion would use modern technologies, there will be no pollution. About employment to the local people, the corporation will do its best,” said the TTPs general manager R.K. Srivastav.