By IANS
Jajpur (Orissa) : Villagers staying close to the Nilachal Ispat Nigam Limited (NINL) steel plant in Orissa’s Kalinga Nagar industrial complex Sunday demanded to be rehabilitated elsewhere as the plant was causing pollution.
The villagers of Sarangapur locked all the entrance and exit gates of the steel plant by burning tyres and stopped the entry of employees.
The NINL is situated inside the Kalinga Nagar industrial complex in Jajpur district, about 120 km from the state capital Bhubaneswar.
The agitators under the banner ‘Sangram Janamanch’ said they wanted to get rid of the environmental pollution that was causing extensive damage to their village.
“The villagers prevented men and materials from entering the company campus. The agitation continued for over 10 hours while workers and officials of two shifts could not join duty. Production of the plant has been hampered following the agitation,” D.P. Mishra, deputy general manager (personnel) of NINL told IANS.
The agitators accused NINL of depleting the ground water resources of their village, polluting water bodies and damaging cultivable land by discharging harmful effluents.
“The plant is located in close proximity of the village, where about 600 people stay. The dust and other effluents from it are damaging our houses, fields and polluting water bodies besides spreading various diseases among the villagers,” alleged Sarat Sahu, a villager.
The company officials however said they could not do anything to solve the problems of the villagers. “The villagers are demanding displacement. But unfortunately it is not our look out. It is the state government which has to initiate measures,” Mishra said.
The agitation was withdrawn after district authorities assured the villagers that they would sit for a discussion on Wednesday to sort out their grievances.
The villagers have however threatened a prolonged agitation if their demands are not met by Sep 15.