Madhya Pradesh: Essar alleges sabotage after toxic ash leak at power plant in Singrauli

Five children were rescued and more than 500 farmers in Madhya Pradesh suffered crop losses on Wednesday after a mud wall of a fly-ash dyke of Essar Energy

’s thermal power plant in Singrauli district collapsed during heavy rain, The Times of India reported on Friday. Essar Power MP Ltd in a statement on Thursday alleged the breach in the ash pond was “a clear case of sabotage”.

The fly-ash dyke reportedly turned into a mudslide and hit Khairahi and Karsualal villages around 10 pm. The children were sleeping when the fly-ash slurry flooded their homes.

“Initial investigations reveal that there was negligence on the part of the power company,” Singrauli District Collector KVS Chaudhary told The Times of India. “

The spill has damaged crops and soil. It’s also seeping into the river.” He said the water resources department had formed a committee to analyse the incident.

“Children were rescued well in time,” Chaudhary added. “We have put 20 patwaris on the task to ascertain crop loss.”

The company, meanwhile, said families continued to live on the non-agricultural land it owns beside the ash pond “at their own risk as encroachers despite repeated requests from EPMPL”.

“Our security personnel deployed at the location have given a statement to the local police saying that they spotted four...

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