The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Haryana Power Generation Corporation Limited (HPGCL) to explore the development of a dense plantation, potentially utilizing the Miyawaki method, on 152 acres of land reclaimed from a fly ash disposal site in Faridabad.
The order, issued by a bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava, alongside expert members A. Senthil Vel and Afroz Ahmad, emphasizes the environmental betterment of land previously used for the disposal of fly ash—a byproduct of coal-based power generation.
The proceedings focused on the management and disposal of fly ash at the Faridabad Thermal Power Station, a unit under HPGCL. According to the tribunal’s observations dated March 25, the site originally contained two primary ash disposal areas or “dykes.”
The older dyke, covering 103 acres, has already been remediated. The “new” dyke was recently evacuated after the lifting of accumulated fly ash, resulting in the reclamation of 152 acres of land.
The bench noted that since this substantial area is no longer required for ash disposal, it should be repurposed for ecological benefits. “The record reflects that on remediation of the new ash dyke an area of 152 acres has been reclaimed by the HPGCL. If this area is not put to any other use, it should be utilised for the betterment of the environment,” the tribunal stated.
Specifically, the NGT has suggested that HPGCL look into the Miyawaki technique for the site. Pioneered by Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki, this method involves planting a high density of indigenous tree species to recreate native forest ecosystems.
Proponents of the Miyawaki method note that it can accelerate forest growth by up to 10 times and create plantations 30 times denser than traditional reforestation efforts, making it an effective tool for urban and industrial ecological restoration.
During the hearing, Additional Solicitor General Vikramjeet Banerjee, representing HPGCL, informed the bench that the corporation would explore the feasibility of such a plantation.
Concluding the original application, the tribunal directed HPGCL to submit a formal report to the Registrar General within three months detailing the decision taken for the land’s utilization.
“If deemed necessary, the matter will be listed for consideration before the bench again,” the tribunal added, ensuring oversight of the reclamation project’s progress.
