Bhubaneswar, December 31: To ensure real-time tracking and monitoring of fly ash transportation across the State, a mobile application was launched by the State Pollution Control Board (SPCB), in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bhubaneswar.

The app was officially unveiled by the Chief Secretary-cum-Board Chairman Manoj Ahuja earlier today.

The App has been tested in field, and it will be immediately implemented in four power plants namely; Aditya Aluminum, Lapanga, JSW Bhushan Ltd, Thelkoloi, Vedanta Ltd, Jharsuguda and Odisha Power Generation Corporation (OPGC), Banharpali. The implementation will be extended to other power plants subsequently.

The application employs a three-tier operational structure involving power plants, drivers, and Regional Officers. Key technical features include Real-Time Tracking by GPS, QR Code Verification, Geo-fenced Routes, Verified Trip Closure and Alert generations for deviation.

The fly ash transporting trucks will start from the thermal power plants after scanning two sets of QR codes at the plant exit gate so that each of the trucks and their destinations are recorded online. The truck movements will be geofenced so that dumping of fly ash on unauthorized places can be prevented. Trips closure will be automatically done at the geofenced destination with uploading of a photograph of the empty truck.

The application will help to curb significant environmental threats posed by the indiscriminate and illegal dumping of fly ash. It will ensure that all fly ash trips are recorded online and managed according to the Fly Ash Notification provisions. By using real-time dashboards and automatic alerts, the SPCB can intervene immediately to prevent environmental violations.