The industrial and mining town of Talcher has recorded an incredible temperature between 42 and 48 degrees C with life here having gone for a toss.
While the civil township burns with 40 to 42 degree C, the mining areas and settlements in and around mines, which constitute several dozens of villages and MCl staff colonies, suffer under a blazing sun and dust pollution with day temperature at peak time is said to be over 48 degrees C.
The entire industrial and mining belt, starting from Merhamandali in Dhenkanal district to Angul town, Chhendipada, coal rich stretches of Talcher, Thermal town, Talcher town and Kaniha etc, is now sizzling in a frying pan due to soaring day temperature. Adding to the trouble are the dust and ash emission and warmth of the burning coals in the stockyards of various mining projects of the Mahanadi Coalfields limited (MCl). While day temperature in these areas has goneunbearable, the Government, corporate houses and MCl seem not to have taken adequate measures to tackle the sun stroke death and provide relief to the inhabitants from the dust and ash emission.
After 12 noon, the coal town wears a deserted look with the shops and business establishments preferring to down shutters. The schools and colleges remain open only in the morning hours. The heat is so intense; fans, air coolers and ACs fail to provide any comfort. The market areas get back to life only after it is sundown. But then, the evening air is also not cool. There is no moisture in the air. The mines areas are in horrible state.
Despite the searing heat, the workers are being engaged in the mining, transport and related works. The MCl as well as its contractors are not following the basic rules pertaining to work hours, provisions at the work place and safety measures while engaging workers in the mines.
Dust emission has compounded the trouble. Regular mining and transport of coal by road and rail have led to massive circulation of coal dust and vehicular pollution. Though the phenomenon is not new to Talcher and its surrounding, but at a time when the atmospheric heat is galloping, the dust and auto exhausts are making life a hell. The MCl has taken measures to tackle the dust emission, but they are of no avail given the corruption in the fund earmarked for sprinkling water on the roads. There have been much uproar among the public and concerned citizens against the lapses, but they seem to go in one ear and out the other of the MCl authorities.
There are eight mines of the MCl in the area. Of these, the huge stocks of coals in Kalinga, Balaram, lingaraj, Bharatpur and Anata mines have already caught fires. A few stockyards are still on fire.The failure of the MCl to douse the fire has worsened the situation. The constant fire has scaled up the atmospheric heat.Ash syndrome has thrown life out of gear in many villages near several steel and power plants. The ash ponds of Bhushan Steels limited (BSl) near Merhamandali, Nalco in Angul, TTPS near Talcher and NTPC in Kaniha are unsafe. The ash, lying over huge acres of land, are circulating in the surrounding areas and entering into the corn fields, water bodies like village ponds, wells and streams, apart from residential houses. Regular exposure of the inhabitants to ash and dust has posed severe health hazards.
Though the local people have been complaining about their trauma to the appropriate authorities, the district Collectors of Dhenkanal and Angul are playing second fiddle with it. No steps are taken to issue warning to the corporate houses to check ash emission from their ash ponds, nor any compensation given to the victims.
The wells, tube wells, ponds and streams are fast getting dry because of deep mining near the township area. A severe water crisis has overtaken the area with the human beings, domestic animals and even wild animals and birds not finding adequate water. While natural vegetation is giving way to new mines, the artificial plantations and compensatory afforestation claimed to have been developed by the MCl and State forest department here are of little help.
The Brahmani water, which is the sole feeder of water for scores of industrial and mining houses, is drying up and getting severely polluted. Of late, two power companies near Samal are on a process of filling over 100 meter stretch of the river with soil. They are bringing the soil from a nearby forest. The authorities are acting as mute spectators while the illegal filling is underway. The rising pollution of water and gradual fall in water level in Brahmani has created several problems for the locals. While it has led to drinking water crisis for thousands of villagers living by the river, the fishing communities living downstream have lost their livelihood. The illegal and over pumping of water by the private corporate bodies has also led to deficit of water for irrigation and power generation in Samal barrage.
To confront the heat wave situation in the district, a coordination meeting was conducted by the district administration recently, where it was decided to tackle the drinking water shortage problem on a priority basis. It was agreed upon that drinking water would be supplied through pipes and tankers to each and every village and township area across the district. Besides, 24- hour control rooms in each block, tehsil, and hospital would be opened and air conditioned rooms would be set up to treat sun stroke patients. No labourers and workers would be allowed to work between 11 am to 3 pm and no buses and other public vehicles would ply between 11.00 am to 3.00 pm. But, these decisions are yet to be implemented.