By: Aswini Kumar Darjee
New Delhi/Bhubaneswar/ Jharsuguda- Even amid deafening chaos and protests in the Lok Sabha, Bargarh MP Pradip Purohit’s voice pierced through the noise to spotlight a simmering environmental crisis unfolding in Odisha’s mineral-rich Jharsuguda district. Raising the matter under Rule 377, Purohit exposed the unchecked dumping of fly ash by private companies along national highways, warning of its catastrophic impact on farmland, roads, rivers, and local livelihoods. Despite the disruptions in the House, the gravity of his concern forced national attention on a long-ignored ecological emergency.
Jharsuguda, often hailed as one of the industrial powerhouses of eastern India, is now buckling under the toxic burden of fly ash — a hazardous byproduct of coal-fired power plants. What was once fertile land has now turned into grey wastelands. From overflowing ash ponds and breached embankments to polluted rivers and dying fish farms, the damage has been relentless and deeply personal for thousands of farmers. Villages like Durlaga, Banapali, and Kalendamal have seen their kharif crops wiped out and water bodies turned to sludge, especially after the recent torrential rains caused fly ash embankments along the NH-49 to collapse.
Purohit’s intervention in Parliament was timely, as fly ash continues to be dumped along roadsides and in agricultural zones, in clear violation of environmental norms. He demanded urgent intervention from the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways to regulate fly ash disposal practices and prevent further destruction. His remarks were not just a parliamentary formality but a cry on behalf of distressed communities, who, despite the threat to their lands, livelihoods, and health, have struggled to find accountability from both corporations and the administration.
Supporting this concern, Jharsuguda MLA Tankadhar Tripathy took swift action by meeting with central officials and demanding exemplary punishment against contractors responsible for sub-standard construction that led to fly ash breaches. He filed an FIR against those accountable for damaging public property and destroying crops, stressing that mere compensation cannot undo the harm already inflicted. The Odisha State Pollution Control Board, while acknowledging the damage, has fined Vedanta Aluminium Rs 71.16 crore for unauthorized dumping of over 7 lakh metric tonnes of fly ash across Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, and Sundargarh. Yet the court battle drags on, and villagers continue to suffer in limbo.
Jharsuguda’s plight goes deeper than fly ash. The district sits on over 9,300 million tonnes of coal reserves and generates hundreds of crores annually for the state. However, that wealth has come at a high cost. Local activists like Satyanarayan Rao warn that the unchecked dumping of industrial waste within prohibited zones is now threatening the Mahanadi River and Hirakud Dam, both lifelines for millions. With 133 industrial units contributing to the District Mineral Foundation (DMF), and more than Rs 550 crore pouring in annually, the mismatch between resource extraction and rehabilitation is stark. Records show underutilization and slow spending of DMF funds, even as fly ash continues to choke ecosystems and human health.
Odisha contributes nearly 10 percent of India’s greenhouse gas emissions, while holding just 3.5 percent of its population. The state’s per capita emissions are already more than double the national average. Jharsuguda, as one of the most industrialized districts, plays a significant role in this imbalance. Despite Odisha’s Renewable Energy Policy targeting 10 GW of green energy by 2030, Jharsuguda has no operational renewable energy project as of April 2025. The only project in the pipeline is a 50 MW solar plant, overshadowed by coal investments like the Rs 27,000 crore Talabira Thermal Power Project.
While environmental activists and affected communities continue to raise their voices, they often face intimidation and indifference. Villagers recount instances of threats when protesting against illegal dumping, while repeated spills have made their lands unusable, water undrinkable, and air hazardous. Leaks into rivers like the Bheden and overflows near the Ib Bridge have not only damaged infrastructure but also contaminated aquatic ecosystems connected to Hirakud reservoir, a designated Ramsar site.
The urgency of Pradip Purohit’s parliamentary intervention lies in its stark contrast to the silence that has long surrounded Jharsuguda’s environmental degradation. By speaking out during the peak of parliamentary uproar, he forced the issue into national consciousness. His plea is not just about a district battling ash but about a state straddling the line between industrial ambition and environmental survival.
With parliamentary records now reflecting this crisis, the onus is on the Union and State governments to act. Without stringent regulation, sustainable disposal methods, and transparent enforcement, Jharsuguda risks becoming the cautionary tale of India’s energy and industrial future. The voices from its villages and the tremors felt in its fields have reached Delhi. What remains to be seen is whether those in power will listen before it’s too late.
