Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Apr 9 (PTI) Fly ash generated at the Parli thermal power station in Maharashtra’s Beed district is being transported amid police security in the wake of allegations that some local gangs dominate the collection business.
Fly ash, a byproduct of coal combustion, is transported from power plants to cement companies and used in the production of cement and wall blocks.
The Parli thermal power station is a coal-based plant of the Maharashtra State Power Generation Company (Mahagenco), and is located at Parali Vaijnath in Beed. This plant generates around 750 MW of electricity everyday. The transportation of the fly ash generated there began from April 2.
Talking to reporters on Wednesday, Beed Superintendent of Police (SP) Navneet Kanwat said, “Mahagenco finalised 17 contractors to lift the fly ash from Dadahari Wadgaon village (where the plant is located) after a month-long process. To prevent hurdles in the process, 21 police personnel have been providing protection after a demand from the power plant authorities.” The power plant officials have paid to avail the police protection, he said.
BJP MLA Suresh Dhas earlier levelled allegations that local “fly ash mafia” intimidates the contractors and does not allow them to lift the ash from the Parli power plant. He had claimed that Walmik Karad, a close aide of former Maharashtra minister and NCP leader Dhananjay Munde, was behind the cartel.
Karad is a prime accused in the sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh murder case. Deshmukh, the sarpanch of Massajog village in Beed, was kidnapped and tortured to death allegedly for thwarting attempts to extort money from a windmill company.
Recently, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar instructed officials in Beed to take strict action when needed, irrespective of political identities, and not succumb to pressure. He also warned of teaching a lesson to the gangs that dominate the fly ash collection business as well as the sand mafia in the district. PTI AW NP
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