Odisha may stop water supply to NALCO

The Odisha government has threatened to stop water supply to mining and refinery division of National Aluminium Company as the Navaratna central public sector unit has failed to pay water dues.

Sources in the Water Resource Department said, the outstanding dues pending against NALCO’s mining and refinery division at Damonjodi in Odisha’s Koraput district stood at Rs.82.24 crore by May 31 last.

The NALCO authorities were not paying any heed to repeated reminders for payment of dues, said a senior Water Resource Department official. Water supply from Upper Kolab could be disconnected as per Odisha Irrigation Amendment Rules 2010, he said.

NALCO’s smelter complex at Angul was also found to have defaulted in paying water bill. Last year, total amount outstanding against NALCO’s Angul unit was estimated at Rs.283 crore.

NALCO is not the only central public sector unit that figured in the defaulters list. Huge arrears were pending against Mahanadi Coalfield Limited, NTPC Limited and Indian Railways. Many leading private industrial houses have also not paid the tax towards water usages from rivers and irrigation projects. Some industrial units have moved court objecting rate and estimation of water usage.

Between 2000 and 2014, industries had not paid water dues to the tune of Rs.6,000 crore. In 2014-15, the Water Resource department stepped its efforts to collect the outstanding amount.

In the current financial year (2015-16), the State government has fixed target to collect Rs.2,650 crore towards tax and arrears. Water Resource department has been asked to monitor collection of dues on monthly basis.