Sundargarh: Even as industrialisation process has brought progress to Sundargarh, excessive pollution has taken the mineral-rich district to a dead end, a report said.
According to reports, Sundargarh district has many large scale as well as small scale steel and sponge iron industries including Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP). Some areas of the district like Kansbahal, Lathikata, Rourkela, Kalunga, Bonai, Rajgangpur, Kuanrmunda and Biramitrapur have hundreds of medium and small scale industries.
Likewise, there are about 33 mines of high-quality iron, chromite, dolomite, bauxite, coal and manganese ores operating under Rourkela and Koida mining circles of which Hemgir block has four mines.
However, prolonged industrialisation process including construction of Rourkela-Sambalpur Biju Expressway and widening of many district-roads has destroyed a large part of the forest cover in the district.
Rapid loss of forest cover in the district has imbalanced its ecology. The lost forest cover is not being restored, nor fresh afforestation is being taken up by mining companies and industrial houses here.
This has given rise to excessive pollution in Sundargarh district and it has assumed alarming proportions. Kuanrmunda industrial cluster alone houses over 20 industries including eight sponge iron plants besides induction furnaces, fire brick kilns and chemical units.
These industrial units are accused of not operating power-intensive pollution control equipment and electro-static precipitators, to save cost at the expense of environment and life of local denizens.
A dozen of pollution-intensive sponge-iron plants of Bonai industrial cluster has made life miserable by polluting air, water and soil. It is claimed that due to high pollution levels, several people have died of kidney disease while some others are suffering from the ailment.
Carrying mineral ores and raw materials, releasing dust particles from mines and factories, emitting smoke from chimneys and discharging untreated industrial wastes have aggravated pollution.
No noticeable action is being taken against the violators of norms. Industrial units and mining companies in Sundargarh district go on flouting the guidelines of the state pollution control board.
Most of the district-roads have dilapidated and there are severe traffic snarls throughout the district which have sparked resentment among the intelligentsia and local people. In such a situation, the district administration shows an apathetic attitude to the rising problem.
On the other hand, no special corridors are being constructed in Sundargarh district for the transportation of minerals and ores. Moreover, fly-ashes coming from neighbouring Jharsuguda district cover up the bordering farmlands here, some farmers alleged.
Attempts should be made to select suitable plant species for green belt development at several strategically significant regions of Sundargarh district. Plants are considered to be most effective in pollution abatement and serve as sinks for various pollutants.
