Public life in Jharsuguda district has become unbearable due to the dumping of toxic fly ash along roadsides of rural areas and village ponds especially by the Bhusan Power and Steel (BPSl) and the Vedanta company.
Fly ash is dumped in the agricultural lands in night hours without knowledge of the land owners. Besides, the ash is also deposited in mountain shape on public roads, rivers and ponds and forestlands creating an alarming situation for the general public. Demands are made for immediate action by the Sate Pollution Control Board (SPCB) to stop the pollution.
An NGO working for environmental protection has urged the SPCB Regional Officer to take stringent legal measures against the power plants causing the pollution.
Members of the Regional Development Council here have submitted a memorandum to SPCB Jharsuguda Regional Officer Niranjan Mallik for necessary action .The council members have sought an immediate ban on dumping of the fly ash in sulphar contents in rural belts and civic lands, besides developing a system to keep a close eye on its proper dumping.
When contacted, the SPCB Jharsuguda Regional Officer said that after receiving the complaints from villagers and commuters, the Bhushan Power &Steel and the Vedanta have been asked to respond to the complaints. “We will take strict action against the units which do not comply with the SPCB direction,” he added.