A joint team of officials led by sub-collector Panposh Himansu Sekhar Behera, initiated a drive to check sponge iron units that are allegedly violating pollution norms. The team visited two units.
The drive by the administration was taken up following allegations and protests by villagers that they were unable to live due to air and water pollution caused by sponge iron units.
Sundergarh collector Binit Bharadwaj had promised angry villagers that he will take necessary steps. Apart from the sub-collector Panposh, the team consists of SPCB Regional officer here, Hemendra Narayana Nayak, PA ITDA Panposh T Bari and Tehsildar Kuanrmunda Dilip Kumar Nayak were the team members and yesterday they did spot verification of two sponge iron units.
“We have started our visit and it will continue for four to five days and today is the day of rest,” informed regional officer of SPCB. He declined to reveal the findings of the team on day one but said, “we have thoroughly checked the entire premises of both the units as per the directive of the collector.”
The sub-collector said “we looked into the pollution control measures and pollution aspects of the units. The electrostatic precipitators were examined by experts. The team checked the pollution control instruments, like the ESP, the dust control measures for the dust emanating from the storage raw materials etc.
The residents of Kuanrmunda were up in arms against the units situated in their locality. They were complaining regarding rampant pollution by the units without scant regard for public inconvenience.
The situation became critical when a partial Kuanrmunda bandh was called on 21 February and this was followed by economic blockade to the erring units.
With this blockade, neither produced goods could be transported nor raw materials were allowed inside the plants on 28 March.