ROURKELA: Demanding total freedom from industrial pollution and making Kuanrmunda block in Sundargarh district environmentally clean, members of Kuanrmunda Citizens' Forum (KCF) on Saturday renewed their agitation with launching of indefinite 'economic blockade' in Kuanrmunda industrial cluster.
It came close on the heels of disruption of vehicular traffic on National Highway (NH) 143 at Kuanrmunda for six hours on February 21 over the same issue.Sources said after failing to evoke response from the district administration and Odisha State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB), the KCF members on Saturday laid siege to the roads leading to various sponge-iron plants in Kuanrmunda.
Throughout the day, the protestors did not allow entry of raw materials carrying vehicles inside the sponge-iron plants or outward movements of finished goods carrying vehicles.KCF leader Rajesh Kerketta said the agitation would continue till their demand is met, adding that from January 29 they drew the attention of the district administration, Forest department and OSPCB on several occasions and also staged NH 143 blockade, but to no avail.Other KCF leaders said with pollution-intensive sponge-iron plants virtually enjoying a free run, the otherwise green and clean Kuanrmunda block is now facing a dangerous trend of massive environmental damage and threat to the local flora and fauna due to air, soil and water pollution.
Sources said Panposh Sub-Collecctor H S Behera rushed to Kuanrmudna and tried to persuade the agitators to break the impasse, but to no avail.On February 21, OSPCB Regional Officer H N Nayak had said not only in Kuanrmunda industrial cluster, but also in Bonai and Kalunga industrial clusters in the district multiple actions were taken to keep pollution in check. He had said the Swosti sponge iron unit was directed to shut down, while Govindam sponge iron plant shut down its unit voluntarily, adding that after inspection of Adhunik Metalliks Ltd, Khederia, Ganesh and another sponge iron plant, appropriate actions were recommended.