Kujang: An underground pipeline laid by JSW Steel has burst near Patana in Erasama block of Jagatsinghpur district, residents alleged. A chemical substance has been released on farmlands, damaging paddy seedlings and killing fish, residents alleged in a written complaint to the Ersama tehsildar Friday.
The incident has sparked growing resentment against the company in Dhinkia panchayat. Residents alleged that JSW Steel has been laying underground pipelines to transport iron ore from mining areas for its 13.2-MTPA steel plant in Dhinkia without the knowledge or consent of landowners.
The pipeline burst near Patana, allegedly releasing a clay-like chemical substance that spread into nearby agricultural fields and water bodies. Farmers said paddy seedlings were damaged and fish died after the substance entered the water.
Residents also alleged that contact with the contaminated water caused itching on their hands and bodies. In their complaint, residents said the leak could have caused fatalities if farmers had been working in the fields when the chemical was released.
They accused JSW Steel of repeatedly putting people’s lives at risk and said the incident has become a matter of concern for the community. The complainants alleged that the company placed pipelines on private land and laid pipelines underground without prior notice or the consent of landowners, directly interfering with property rights and livelihoods of local residents.
They alleged that the action appears to violate provisions of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013, the Forest Rights Act, 2006, and Article 21 of the Indian Constitution, which protects the right to life and livelihood.
Erasama tehsildar Snigdha Shraddhanjali Behera said that after receiving the complaint, she directed the concerned Nuagaon revenue inspector to conduct an inquiry and submit a report. The locals have urged the authorities to investigate the matter and take action against those responsible.
Efforts to contact JSW AVP Samarendu Pattanayak on his mobile phone (9937036444) were unsuccessful as he did not answer the call.
