Post News Network
Jajpur, Jan 13: Nilachal Ispat Nigam Ltd (NINL) at Kalinganagar here had to forfeit Rs 4.14 lakh of its bank guarantee of Rs 23.95 lakh to the Orissa State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB) after the company failed to install pollution control system in its plant.
However, the board waived off Rs 19.81 lakh of the total bank guarantee as the plant has made some progress in installation of the system, OSPCB regional officer Anup Kumar Mallick said.
The matter came to fore after OSPCB in its letter 831/13.01.2016 informed Indian Overseas Bank (Bhubaneswar branch) authorities about its decision.
The plant authorities had earlier assured the board to install bio-chemical oxygen demand (BOD) plant and water recycling system (WRS) on the premises to filter waste water emerging out of the coke oven.
But as the company failed to install the system, the OSPCB had warned the former that it would have to forfeit its bank guarantee of Rs 23.95 lakh. OSPCB authorities had issued a show-cause notice-20499, dated-31.12.2015 to the company in this regard.
According to reports, the company had discharged toxic water of the coke oven into Andhari nullah on Sarangpur road and about 500 metre from the Jajpur Road-Duburi state highway September 21, 2015. The toxic water caused sufferings not only to villagers but also to domestic animals and aquatic creatures.
NINL DGM PK Sahu had then feigned ignorance on the development and said he would reply only after enquiring from the concerned department of the plant.
The steel plant was established in 1996 at Kalinganagar Industrial Complex jointly by MMTC, Ipicol and Orissa Mining Corporation. The company’s plan to expand the plant into an integrated steel project never materialised.
The plant is now manufacturing pig iron, coke pellet, wires and aluminium sulphate besides 64.5 megawatt of electricity.
The company having consent to operate till March 31, 2016 has turned out to be a liability for the villagers residing on the fringes of the plant. Pollutants like smoke and waste water emerging from the plant have made life hell for villagers.
Residents of Sarangpur, Nuagaon, Madhapur and Pandapita villages are the major victims of the constant pollution caused by the plant.
Over 20 persons from Sarangpur, Nuagaon, Madhapur and Pandapita have died of tuberculosis, a report said.
An OSPCB team during its visit had found groundwater getting polluted and crops getting affected in the area with air pollution being a major irritant for locals. PNN
