Dirty works
"Recommendations for Environmentally Sound Growth of Aluminium Industry in Orissa", a study by the State Pollution Control Board (SPCB), highlighted the pollution caused by the state's existing smelting and aluminium plants.
l Indian Aluminium Company (INDAL): The Hirakud plant emits 0.5million kg of fluorine every year. However, the SPCB admits not monitoring emissions fully due to inadequate technology. It says the emissions have contaminated shallow ground water resources and the soil.
l National Aluminium Company (NALCO): NALCO's Anugul smelter unit has been wrongly located in one of the 23 "hot spots' of pollution in the country. Unfortunately, due to improper environmental impact assessment (EIA), the plant has been set up in a region where the fluoride levels in the groundwater was already high. The industry emits some 0.22 million kg of fluorine annually, which ultimately finds its way to the area's surface and groundwater.
l TATA-INDAL and L&T: EIA studies are yet to be completed to choose safe locations for their sites.
Related Content
- Order of the National Green Tribunal regarding dumping of garbage in Dardha river, Jahanabad, Bihar, 11/01/2024
- Capital Gains: Clean Air Action in Delhi-NCR- What next?
- Order of the National Green Tribunal regarding contamination of ground water in Delhi, 11/09/2019
- To keep Ganga clean, work begins on turning sewage spot in Rishikesh into ‘selfie point’
- Graded Response Action Plan to control air pollution in Delhi-NCR in ‘Very poor’ and ‘Severe’ categories comes into effect from October 17, 2017- says EPCA
- An energy revolution is possible: tax havens and financing climate action