Developmental project and its impact on adjacent river ecology: A case study of Kolaghat thermal power plant, West Bengal, India

The Kolaghat Thermal Power Plant (K.T.P..P) is situated (22025’ latitude &87052’30 longitude’) on the right bank of the river Rupnarayan in Purba Medinipur district, West Bengal. It is well connected with south-eastern Railway, NH-6 and NH-41. This power plant was established during the sixth Five Years Plan period (1980–85). WBPDCL (West Bengal Power Development Corporation Limited) took the charge of this power plant since 1985. Presently its total power generating capacity is 1260MW, with six units, 210 MW each. KTPP generates around 7500–8000 metric tons of fly ash every day following the consumption of 18000 tons of coal (Source: KTPP office, 2009). The power plant disposed ash mixed hot waste water on the river Rupnarayan and consequently it has an adverse impact on the said river. So the physicochemical characteristics of the river have been changed. A number of studies have prove that a large amount of toxic substance, like lead, copper, nickel and sometimes radionuclide (uranium & thorium) enrichment have been found in the disposal water. Moreover, due to continuous deposition of fly ash on the river the river depth have been reduced. This change has prevented Hilsa fish (Tenualosa ilisha) migration and laying eggs (Hilsa fish of river Rupnarayan is famous for its taste and smell). As a result the amount of Hilsa fish caught in the Rupnarayan has declined in an alarming way. The amount of other fish caught like, mango fish, prawn are also being observed in declining trends. The present paper is an attempt to examine the nature and extent of ecological disturbance of the river and also suggest some way in order to minimize this menace.