Jajpur: Over 200 acres of farmland near Kalinganagar here have remained uncultivated due to alleged discharge of toxic water by a private steel firm, a report said.
The toxic water has destroyed the micro-organisms boosting the soil fertility resulting in the farmlands remaining uncultivated, farmers alleged. Many farmers have been compelled to leave cultivation and do odd jobs to earn a living as yield from the farmlands was reducing.
The discharge of toxic water has also led to spread of skin diseases in the area, residents alleged.
Hundreds of farmers under the banner of Kalinganagar Parivesh Surakshya Samiti (KPSS), an environmental outfit, have lodged a complaint against the steel firm with the Odisha State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB).
Taking cognisance of the development, the member secretary, OSPCB in a letter (dated-19.05.2020) has directed the district collector of Jajpur to probe the charges and submit a report to him. Later, the OSPCB in a report to the district collector has said that the steel firm is acting as per the guidelines of the pollution body in treatment of waste water.
Sources said Visa Steel was established in the area as part of the industrialisation policy of the state government. The OSPCB allowed the firm to operate on the condition that it will not discharge a drop of waste water outside.
However, the plant was found violating the agreement over the last five years and discharging its waste water to farmlands in the adjoining areas on a regular basis, members of KPSS alleged. There are instances wherein OSPCB served 10 show-cause notices and even served closure notice on Visa Steel but that has failed to deter the latter, the activists alleged.
Human rights activist Susant Das alleged that the company manages to get a positive report from the OSPCB laboratory in its favour each time a complaint is made against it. This has happened due to alleged connivance of the firm with three technicians working in the OSPCB laboratory, Das claimed.
While one of the technicians has been posted in the OSPCB laboratory for the last 22 years, two others have been working there for the last 15 years, he added.
This correspondent visited the farmlands to take stock of the charges when farmers Ramesh Chandra Brahma and Ghauri Behera showed him how the soil has turned black due to discharge of toxic water by the steel firm. As a result, it has become impossible to raise any crop on their farmlands for the last five years. Paddy crops and vegetables have stopped germinating on their farmlands, the farmers alleged.
Farmer Shyamasundar Behera, who is also a ward member in Jakhpura panchayat, alleged he has become financially ruined as he is unable to raise any crop on his farmland due to toxic discharge of water by the steel firm. He alleged that OSPCB is not taking any steps in this regard which has only emboldened the steel firm.
When contacted, Sandip Mishra, human resources officer of Visa Steel, said all steps are being taken to treat the water of the plant and rainwater as per OSPCB guidelines.
PNN