Punjab govt under scrutiny as NHAI pays hundreds of crores for ash meant to be free
PTC We Desk: The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is now paying hundreds of crores to procure fly ash that was originally supposed to be provided free of cost by Punjab’s thermal power plants. Instead, the state government has been selling this fly ash to private distributors, forcing NHAI to purchase it from the market.
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has taken serious note of the matter and has sought reports from all thermal power plants in the state. The court highlighted the gravity of the issue, stating that the policy violation has led to massive financial losses for NHAI.
In 2016, it was decided that thermal power plants in Punjab would supply their fly ash free of cost to the NHAI. The aim was to utilise this byproduct in road construction while preventing large-scale soil degradation on agricultural lands caused by improper fly ash disposal.
However, instead of adhering to this agreement, the state government allegedly began selling the fly ash to private distributors. As a result, NHAI has been compelled to buy the same material at commercial rates, incurring significant financial losses.
The misuse of fly ash is not just a financial concern but also an environmental one. Large quantities of fly ash, if not properly utilised, can degrade fertile farmland, severely impacting agricultural productivity.
- PTC NEWS
