SAMBALPUR: Irked over fly-ash pollution from the JSW Bhushan Power and Steel Limited at Thelkoloi, residents of the Rehabilitation and Resettlement (R&R) Colony staged protest and closed the plant’s main gate on Wednesday night.
Sources said resentment was brewing among the residents for quite some time over high ash content in the emissions from the plant. Lately, the residents claimed, the plant was emitting a substantial amount of ash in the night causing breathing problem and eye irritation. On Wednesday night, huge ash emissions from plant engulfed the area and caused irritation in eyes of the locals. As tension flared up, irate residents came out in large numbers and staged protest in front of the plant gate.
Chandrasekhar Rout, a resident of R&R Colony, said, there are around 165 families in the locality and almost everyone is suffering due to the ash pollution. “We are more concerned about children who often complain of breathing problems and eye irritation. We realise that this is an industrial area but the plant should also limit emission of these harmful pollutants. We were forced to close the plant’s gate as the situation became serious last night,” he said.
The protest was called off after plant officials arrived at the agitation site and held discussion with the irate residents. The officials assured the agitators that they would visit the colony in the morning. On Thursday, a few plant officials along with police visited the colony and assured to resolve the pollution problem at the earliest. Executive officer (administration) of JSW Bhushan Power and Steel Pramod Patra said the plant was closed for the last five days. High amount of ash may have been emitted from the chimney when the plant was lighted up on Wednesday, he added.