PARADIP: Odisha State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB) has directed Essar steel plant to take immediate steps to prevent pollution in the villages on its periphery. The OSPCB has directed the plant authorities to instal surface runoff treatment facility consisting of flash mixer along with clariflocculator or tube settler by November 30.
Acting on various allegations and Collector’s direction, a team of OSPCB officials visited the pollution-hit Musadiha village and Essar plant here to take stock of the situation. During inspection, it was found that the surface runoff is being discharged towards village without treatment in settling ponds. Though the industry has set up two settling ponds with a capacity of 1200 M3 and 600 M3 for treatment of surface runoff to arrest suspended solids, they are not maintained properly, the team noted.
The villagers had alleged that iron ore effluents and other pollutants discharged from the plant had affected their lives. The dust from conveyor belt used in the plant has led to respiratory problems among the residents. The walls and roof of houses have been covered in red dust, they said.The company has installed a 9.15 km conveyor belt from factory to Paradip port for dispatch of the finished product iron pellets.
Regional Officer of OSPCB Ramesh Chandra Ekka said, “We have directed the authorities of Essar to operate all water sprinklers regularly to suppress dust emission from the conveyor belt, remove the sludge from settling ponds and treat surface runoff before discharging it. The report has been submitted to the Collector for further action.”
Meanwhile, vice-president (corporate affairs and legal) of Essar, Mithilesh Thakur has refuted the allegations and said the company has constructed its boundary wall and overhead conveyor line based on the design approved by the Directorate of Factory and Boilers in 2010-2012.
“There was no storage or handling of iron ore at the inside part of the boundary wall in that area. Sometimes, there may be some seepage during heavy rains from underneath the boundary wall, where we have filled up average three-metre depth of sand to reclaim the land and prepare an elevate ground level for the plant. Moreover, the conveyor line, handling iron ore, is covered and designed to work without spillage or spreading dust,” he said.