Thaindian News

By Sujeet Kumar
Raipur, Sep 15 (IANS) Thousands of people in and around the Chhattisgarh capital are believed to be suffering from respiratory problems because of polluting industrial units on this city’s outskirts, and residents allege the government is turning a blind eye to it.

Some 145 units based within a 20-km radius around Raipur have been identified as being “red category” industries because of their high pollution levels. Experts, local people and politicians say these units do not use pollution control equipment.

“These units are permitted to operate even though they haven’t installed pollution controlling equipment,” said K.S. Patel, an expert who has carried out extensive research on industrial pollution in the area.

“This has resulted in some one million people in Raipur and 40 nearby villages suffering from respiratory and skin cancer diseases. Drinking water is also polluted,” Patel, a professor with the Raipur-based Pandit Ravishankar Shukla University’s School of Studies in Chemistry, told IANS.

According to him, sample results of ambient air taken from the industrial areas have shown that the suspended particulate matter (SPS) is at least 10 times higher than prescribed limits.

Chief Minister Raman Singh rejects charges of being soft towards industrial pollution issue.

“It was the (former) Congress government that allowed sponge iron units to come up near Raipur without making it mandatory to install ESPs (electrostatic precipitators), but my government has now done so,” said Singh, who has been heading the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government since December 2003.

“I have decided not to allow any new sponge iron units on the outskirts of Raipur and also ensure that industries run ESPs round-the-clock.”

Ironically, a legislator from his own party blames the government.

“The Chhattisgarh government is like a sitting duck, watching some 145 units on the outskirts of Raipur flouting all pollution norms,” said Devji Bhai Patel, the BJP legislator from the Dharsiwa constituency under which Siltara, Urla and Borjhara industrial areas fall.

“Just choose any house in the 40 villages near Siltara, Urla and Borjhara, you will find someone in each family suffering from either serious respiratory problems or skin cancer,” he told IANS.

“I am just watching some 150,000 people in my constituency heading for premature death. People will take the law into their own hands if the government continues to be silent on the issue.”

Forced by repeated public protests, public interest litigation (PIL) and criticism by the local media, the government disconnected power to several units in recent months temporarily for not complying with pollution control norms.

“I am taking legal action against units in Urla, Siltara and Borjhara not following pollution control norms and disconnecting power supply,” said principal environment secretary N. Baijendra Kumar, who is also chairman of the Chhattisgarh Pollution Control Board.

However, local people who have now formed a group, Pradushan Niwaran Sangharsh Samiti (pollution prevention struggle committee), say these units have used their “influence” to get the power supply restored.

(Sujeet Kumar can be contacted at sujeet.k@ians.in)