The Punjab Forest Department has found green solution to the chronic problem of fly ash as it is all set to flourish forest sapling nurseries on thermal fly ash. The thermal fly ash besides maintaining the micro-nutrient content of the soil to maintain the productivity of crop would provide the lasting solution to environmental friendly usage of fly ash generated from thermal plants.Disclosing this here today, Chunni Lal Bhagat, Minister for Forest and Wild Life Preservation said that state government has assigned a project namely “Use of Fly ash in Forestry Nursery and Plantation in the State of Punjab” worth Rs.33 lakh to Thapar University, Patiala. Under the guidance of Professor Dr. Dinesh Goyal, the project would be completed within three years. He further said that thermal fly ash is considered as useful ameliorant, which improve Physical, Biological and Chemical properties of problematic soils and enhance the available macro and micro-nutrients for plants due to its limiting potential and the presence of essential nutrients.
He said that the Punjab, being a small state, has already five Thermal Power Plants, which are generating huge quantity of fly ash that requires huge land for disposal. So, it can be utilized as source for nutrients in forestry nurseries and plantations. He said that this proposal has a great relevance for the State of Punjab. He further said that coal fly ash up to 12-18 per cent can be safely added to soil without any deleterious effect on the environment. “Agencies, such as Forest Department Punjab and all other state forestry departments, private nurseries etc. can utilize the results of the project”, he added.
Bhagat said that India generates more than 220 million tone of fly ash per year, which is a solid by product of coal burning in thermal power stations. Besides its several other uses, its use in agriculture and forestry has become another important sector due to its texture and mineral composition. He said that from several field trials conducted during last two decades in different parts of the country, it is evident that fly ash application in nursery soil and in field plantation leads to improvement in nutrient status of the soil along with water holding capacity and plant productivity.