Government plans water levy

BHUBANESWAR: With public resistance mounting over sharing of river water with industries, the State Government is making a move towards a water conservation fund by levying one time water charge on thermal power plants coming up in the State. The Water Resource Department has reportedly proposed to impose one-time water charge on thermal power projects. The funds thus generated will be exclusively utilised for water conservation works. The department proposed to levy Rs 2.5 cr per cusec of water. On an average, the water requirement of a 1000 MW coal based power plant is 40 cusecs. Meanwhile, the matter has been discussed at the State Level Water Resource Board chaired by Chief Secretary BK Patnaik. The board has reportedly given in principle approval and the matter now awaits the Government nod. The Cabinet will then take the final call on whether the water charge will be applicable to the thermal power plants that had already signed MOU, sources in the Government said. Thermal power plants are highly water intensive requiring huge quantity of water for consumptive and other uses. While none of the rivers in the State are perennial, all the mineral based industries and thermal power plants depend on three major rivers __ Mahanadi, Brahmani and Baitarani __ and their tributaries for their requirements.The Government has already signed MoU with 29 companies for setting up of coal based thermal power plants with an installed capacity of over 40,000 MW. While the Centre has sanctioned two ultra-mega power plant of 4000 MW each for the state, the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) is also coming up with two mega power plants in Jharsuguda and Dhenkanal districts. According to an estimate, the cooling water requirement for a typical thermal power plant is 4.4 cubic metre (4400 litres) per megawatt per hour. Taking the total installed capacity of the thermal projects which had inked MoU with the Government, the water requirement will be huge. After consumptive use of water for the thermal power stations, additional water will be required for other needs including the townships which will come up along with the power plants.