Pollution Research Paper

Vol 37, Issue 1, 2018; Page No.(245-252)

IMPACT OF COAL-BURNT THERMAL POWER PLANT ON AGRICULTURAL LAND

SUBHAS ADAK, KALYAN ADHIKARI1, KOUSHIK BRAHMACHARI AND SOUMYA BHATTACHARYYA

Abstract

Fly ash of thermal power plant affects the agricultural land in the adjacent area (<4 km radius) from Kolaghat Thermal Power Plant (KTPP). The arable areas under different crops, wheat (67.6%), pulses ( -32.4%), mustard ( -29.1%), vegetables ( -14.8%), maize ( -10%), jute ( -10%), sesame ( -8.33%), flowers ( -8.06%) and rice ( -4.87%) have been gradually losing due to fly ash within impact zone (<4km) except spices ( 4.76%) during last four years (2011-2015) whereas the area beyond 4km gained the space for more cultivation (overall 1.7%) except rice ( -0.09%) and jute (-1.41%) due to low price and demand. The circles close to KTPP have also lost cultivable land by 0.95% to 2.86% resulting overall change 65.61% to 63.34% while the rest circles showed the change from 76.29% to 75.10%. The average cropping system dropped down from 184.9% to 169.91% in impact areas (<4km) whereas it reduced from 192.34% to 180.9% in the outer circles (>4km). As the consequence of fly ash, agricultural land (<4km) has been converted to the non-agricultural by - 1.11% to -5.47% contrasting the transformation to non-arable in the area (>4km) from -0.54 % to 2.44%. Site-specific evaluation and management should be adopted to abate the impact of coal burned thermal power plant for agricultural sustainability.

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