Executive Summary : | This project proposal aims to address the environmental problems caused by large-scale fly ash accumulation in industries and their disposal in open areas. India produces around 145 thermal power stations, producing fly ash of about 226 million tons annually. The disposal of fly ash absorbs water, energy, and land area, and tens of millions of tonnes go unutilized every year. The project aims to collect fly ash, identify suitable fly ash for farming, fabricate fly ash composite blocks, conduct on-farm demonstrations, and create awareness among farmers on fly ash use. The project will be implemented in Tamil Nadu, utilizing different types of fly ash from various thermal power stations. On-farm trials will be conducted in farmers' fields with rice, groundnut, and pulse as test crops. The project will result in the production of value-added fly ash blocks, promotion of organic farming, recycling of waste, pollution prevention, popularization of fly ash blocks as an alternative source of manure, commercialization of the developed product, and extension of a new technology to farmers. |