Bhubaneswar, July 13: Orissa State Pollution Control Board has kept the closure notice to the four units of the National Thermal Power Corporation in abeyance till August 31.

The pollution control board is satisfied with the interim report of the power corporation on the measures being undertaken to control pollution. The units have started producing power from its coal-based plant from Tuesday night.

Member-secretary of the pollution control board Sidharth Das said: “An inspection team comprising the NIIT, Rourkela, and the pollution control board has visited the spot. They have expressed their satisfaction over the repair work being done as per the design given by the IIT, Chennai.”

However, Das said if the corporation failed to repair the work and did not take appropriate measures to avoid such breaches, the pollution control board would reconsider its decision on closing down the units. “They have to give a final report on this,” he said.

On July 2, the pollution control board authorities slapped a closure notice on the four units in Kaniha power plant for its failure in ash management, which led to recurrent breaches. Following this, the corporation had stopped power generation from its 2,000MW stage-II leading to power crisis in several southern states.

On July 8, chairman of the power corporation Arup Ray Choudhury met chief minister Naveen Patnaik and assured him of all steps being taken to repair the breaches in its ash pond.