Another ash slurry leak from Nalco pond

ANGUL: Leakage of ash from Nalco’s pond number two on Monday night created quite a flutter among the villagers. The ash water leaked from the pond and flowed into the Nandira rivulet before it was arrested by Nalco authorities on Tuesday morning. There was leakage from three spots, company sources said.The Nalco authorities, however, termed it as normal like the one during the repair works at the filter in the pond. “During repair the filter remains shut thus increasing the water force in the pond  leading to the seepage. It was arrested by  morning,” said the source.The ash pond sites are always patrolled by the official team, said Nalco sources. The local Kukudanga villagers have, meanwhile, expressed concern and fear over the fresh occurrence asking Nalco to undertake some concrete measures to stop it.The Regional Officer of Orissa State Pollution Control Board SK Sahu rushed to the spot and  collected some samples of ash water released to the rivulet for test.He said OSPCB slapped a showcause notice on Nalco power plant authorities as to why the seepages occur frequently in ash pond and asked Nalco to submit a reply within a fortnight.