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The National Thermal Power Corporation's (NTPC) Rihand and three other units in the eastern UP region have joined the race of producing building materials with fly ash with a proper branding initiative. The fly ash-based building material will not only be durable but also check in minimising pollution levels. According to the head of the NTPC Rihand project Sanjeev Kumar, this initiative will hit multiple targets, including saving natural resources and minimising the risk of pollution. Kumar stated that they are introducing ash-based aggregators, ash bricks with the Bureau of Indian Standard (BIS) mark, ash sand, and tiles in the brand name of Vikalp. He added that the first dealer of these products had been appointed in Bilaspur of Chhattisgarh and now the same process would be initiated in the eastern UP region. Regarding ash in thermal power plants, Kumar mentioned that on average 40,000 tons of coal are consumed at the Rihand plant per day, resulting in the production of 13,000 tons of ash per day. Of it, 20 per cent is heavy (bottom) ash, and 80 per cent is light ash. Kumar said that if the quantity of ash produced in all thermal plants is added, its volume goes very high. The ash of thermal plants is mainly used for mine fills. The National Highway Authority of India is also a major consumer as it uses ash for the landfill in ramps and approach roads of the flyovers. Kumar stated that using ash bricks in government and NTPC buildings had been made a must while cement factories also utilise a huge quantity of ash. He added that all these measures are insufficient for the complete disposal of ash produced from the thermal plants. According to NTPC's general manager (ash management corporate) Sanjeev Kumar Saxena, in India, 300 billion bricks are used per year. Saxena mentioned that if even 50 per cent of it is replaced by ash bricks, the major soil of fertile land would be saved. Efforts were made to promote ash bricks through private players. Saxena added that they did not pay attention to the quality of products, which brought a bad name for ash bricks. Saxena said that they carried out research to produce bricks, blocks, tiles, aggregators, and ash sand. After ensuring the production of qualitative construction material, they decided to go for its branding. Saxena added that these products will not only increase the utilisation of ash but also end the problem of pollution that includes groundwater contamination, saving fertile soil, and also hills being crushed for aggregators. Kumar mentioned that apart from Rihand, Vindhya, Shaktinagar, and Meja, all other NTPC units are going to run their units for these products. The officials also highlighted the qualities of products like ash bricks and aggregators by comparing them with conventional red bricks and stone aggregators. The officials said that they were in Kashi on Saturday to interact with all the stakeholders for the adoption of newly developed ash-based building products in construction activities and development work. Also Read Metals recycling firm Runaya sees revenues doubling in FY24Ambuja Cements to expand clinker capacity by 8 MT