Jhumpura: Accidents are common on the Palaspanga-Bamebari Road in Jhumpura area of mineral-rich Keonjhar district due to the iron pellets scattered on the road. The pellets usually fall off trucks while being transported, locals said.
The people living in villages along the road have been facing accidents due to the pellets.
Reports said the 30-km Palaspanga-Bamebari Road is connected to NH-20 between Palaspanga and Kani Mandal. There are two railway sidings on either side of the road — one in Nayagad panchayat and the other in Parjnapur panchayat.
Thousands of trucks and tippers carry iron pellets from a factory in Phuljhari in the Joda mining circle to the two sidings.
The transportation of minerals and iron pellets by trucks pollutes the air in Hatimara, Nayagad, Bamandiha, Dhatika, Malda, Geduatopa, Dhanurjaypur and Kandarapasi.
“Whenever iron pellets fall off trucks the road becomes dangerous for commuters. The truckers have not done anything to prevent this,” locals said.
They pointed out that at some points on the road huge quantities of iron pellets have been dumped and nothing has been done to remove them. When trucks or two-wheelers run over the iron pellets they shoot out from under the wheels and hit people.
Many bikers and people have been injured by the pellets near the Saraskola toll gate. After media reports, steps were taken to remove the pellets from the road, but some of them are still there.
Locals said the administration and the company management have no control over the truckers who endanger the lives of people by carelessly transporting iron pellets.
An officer of the Factory and Boilers Department, UC Sutar said, “We can’t do anything regarding the pellets that fall from trucks.”
IIC Smrutiprabha Pradhan said steps will be taken to tackle the problem. Police officer Paresh Mohanty said truckers and the company will be asked to prevent iron pellets from falling on roads.
PNN