A Jharsuguda court has directed the police to register a First Information Report (FIR) and investigate allegations of illegal coal fly ash dumping by Vedanta Aluminium near the Bheden river. According to reports from Business Standard, the Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC), Jharsuguda, directed the inspector-in-charge of Badmal police station to conduct an investigation based on a complaint petition filed by environmental activist Satyanarayan Rao. The court noted that the complainant had earlier submitted a written FIR to Badmal police station but alleged no action was taken, observing that the allegations disclosed cognisable offences warranting police investigation.
Rao, president of Anchalik Paribesh Suraksha Sangh, alleged that coal fly ash was being illegally dumped in a restricted zone of the Bheden river system, resulting in environmental degradation and potential risks to public health and water resources. As reported by Business Standard, the complainant alleged that the company was engaged in massive illegal dumping of coal fly ash in unauthorised areas, specially encroaching upon the Bheden and Ib river banks, different restricted places upstream of the Mahanadi river, and forest and agricultural land in violation of environmental laws. The court order referred to offences under various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including negligent acts endangering life, fouling water of public reservoirs, making the atmosphere noxious to health, criminal breach of trust, criminal intimidation and obscene acts.
The court-directed investigation comes amid ongoing regulatory action over alleged unauthorised water extraction. According to Business Standard, in April this year, the Odisha government served a demand notice of ₹233.11 crore on Vedanta Aluminium alleging illegal withdrawal of water from the Bheden river system for nearly a year. The demand includes water charges, interest and a six-fold penalty, with the Water Resources Department assessment showing the company allegedly drew over 30 lakh cubic metres of water every month between May 2025 and April 2026 without authorisation.
Vedanta authorities denied the allegations of fly ash dumping at unauthorised locations, with a company spokesperson stating they had not received the court order and it would not be appropriate to comment since the matter is sub judice. As reported by Business Standard, the company spokesperson confirmed that the leakage in the pipeline has been repaired and said the company had already submitted its response to the penalty notice to the Water Resources Department with no communication thereafter. Sources said the Jharsuguda district administration had recently seized two generator sets from the location where a firm engaged by Vedanta used to lift water from the river system.
