October 07, 2008

Orissa to close 9 sponge iron units for pollution

SNS reported that Orissa’s Sundergarh district administration has taken action against 9 sponge iron units who allegedly violated pollution control norms. As per report, the district administration has ordered closure of operations of 4 units in Kuanrmunda and 5 in Bonai, following directions from the Orissa State Pollution Control Board.

Dr Krishna Kumar district collector of Sundergarh said that "This was always in the offing for these units who were violating all the pollution norms with impunity." Dr Kumar said that most of these units were dillydallying in operating their electro static precipitator, the most effective machinery against controlling pollution in the industrial units.

The most common complaint against these units is that they use the electro static precipitator during the day time where as they stop using those in the night causing widespread pollution in the nearby areas. He added that "We are going to be very tough with them and will not spare much time for them. And those units functioning without ESP will only be allowed to operate once they install the ESP instead of the back filter in the next 6 months."

He said that a visit to some of the areas nearer to Kuanrmuda revealed the facts. The situation is really bad in some of the villages. A black sticky coat of is found almost everywhere due to the emissions from these units. Even the drinking and other water sources are badly affected. Besides, skin disease is becoming rampant these days.

It may be noted that Sundergarh witnessed massive industrialization from the beginning of this century and today there are more than 40 functional sponge iron units besides a few big captive plants, like Adhunik group's plant at Biramitrapur near to Kuanrmunda and the Scan Steel unit near Rajgangpur.