Several women of different villages under Kendrikala gram panchayat of Bonei sub division staged a road blockade in at least four different locations, including one at Dareikala on NH 143 on Monday, protesting the alleged rise in pollution by local sponge iron plants.
Due to the road blockade, the movement of vehicles from Bonei to outside and the vice versa came to grinding halt, till vacation of the blockade after the Bonei Sub Collector announced that a meeting would be conducted by district administration on March 23 to address the issue.
Sources said, the locals of different villages of Kendrikala gram panchayat area have been raising their voices over rise in pollution by the sponge iron plants, through their petitions to district administration and other authorities, for last three months. About one month back, hundreds of women had staged a protest in front of the
Bonei sub collector office, specifically alleging against Bhaskar Sponge for creating pollution through black dusts from its plant, following which Bonei sub collector Swadha Deb Singh had visited the spot and served a closure notice. But, few days later the company had obtained a stay order from a local court and had continued its production.
"All the stakeholders of the sponge iron plants of the locality, including pollution board officials, would attend a meeting where in an action plan would be drawn to find out a solution ," said Bonei Sub-Collector Swadha Deb Singh.