Hundreds of local residents of Mandalia under Orient police station limits on Monday blocked the Samleshwary-lajkura road protesting against the rough condition of the road and pollution due to coal transport.
The road currently managed by the MCl has been damaged by the transporting trucks. Besides, fly ash pollution from the Bhusan Steel and Power plant is too acute. The areas including Adivasi Colony, Mahabir Nagar, Durganagar and Ramgarh colony are seriously affected by pollution. The road blockade continued from 7 am to 9 pm.
last Tuesday, the residents also discussed the issue with regional officials of State Pollution Control Board (SPCB), district administration and MCl’s Orient Area GM and urged them to take steps for improving the condition of the bypass road, besides checking the pollution.
Due to the stir, public transport was completely disrupted and thousands of coal laden trucks were stranded on the road. The blockade, however, was lifted after a written assurance to remove fly ash from road was given by Orient Area GM RJ Choudhury in the presence of Brajrajnagar IIC Akash Sahoo and Orient IIC KS Naik.