Villagers Petition to Chief Secretary Odisha against the pollution from Rice Mill in Deogarh, Demand for Closure & Prosecution
Bureau,Odishabarta
DEOGARH:The villagers aggrieved by the huge pollution have complained to the DM, Deogarh and State Pollution Control Board against the Par-boiled Rice Mill at Baniakilinda. In their complaint on 6th March, have stated the unit use to discharge waste untreated water to Bengasula Nalla (a perennial water source) and another Seasonal Nalla adjoining the Rice Mill. The Waste water further mix with the husk ash dumped randomly in the government land and the same use to be washed away into the Nallas, thereby contaminating the primary water source of the Sunamunda and Palasakudar (hamlet) Village. The polluted Water collected at the Check dam(Laxmi Bilash) and further channelized to the agricultural lands and Ratanchudi Kata(a pond of around 4.5Acres) primarily used for bathing and domestic purposes. By this way both the agricultural lands and water bodies are completely polluted in Sunamunda Village. As a result people use to suffer from the skin irritation and other diseases. Villagers have visited hospital in Deogarh and have been examined in regard to their skin diseases by the doctors in Govt. hospital. Similarly the agricultural crops use to be damaged by the polluted water and the land gets silted by the Huskash of the Ricemill dumped here and there. The photographs further suggest that the Rice mill owner has cut the soil and made a channel for unauthorized discharge of the waste water into the Nallas and there is huge deposition of husk ash in the Nalla which has resulted in blue algae formation. There are instances of fish death in the Pond and Nallas and the color of water become reddish and blackish.
In addition to the water pollution, there are instances of huge air pollution because of open burning of Husk and dumping of Huskash in government land. There is a panchayat office adjoining the unit and people are badly affected by the Odour and dust pollution of the unit as there has been no measures like Green belt, boundary wall and water sprinkling to arrest the dust pollution. The Regional Transport Office, Deogarh is in the opposite of the Unit and people visiting the office are also affected by the pollution. At least 3000 people are residing in Sunamnda Village (4 wards) are severely affected by the pollution caused due to the Rice Mill.
Villagers have demanded high level inquiry into the pollution caused and its impact on water bodies and agricultural land and may be assessed and recovered from the Unit. The unit may be issued closure until the same become fully compliant and all remedial measures are being taken to address the damages cause to the environment and local villagers and further Criminal Proceeding under Air Act, Water Act and Environment Protection Act 1986 be initiated against the owner of the Unit for polluting the environment and willfully damaging water bodies which amounts to a public Nuisance.
Press Note:Bhurishraba Dhal, S/o Nabin Chandra dhal, At-Sunamunda, Po- Suguda PS- Deogarh, 8280929099
