Orissa villagers demand shutdown of polluting NALCO plant (India)

[struggle4progress]

: Anngal (Orissa), Mar.18 : Residents of several villages in Orissa's Anngal district have launched a series of protests in the area over the hardships that they are facing due to the pollution coming out from a factory run by the public sector National Aluminum Company (NALCO).

Residents of at least five villages adjoining the NALCO factory staged a protest demonstrations on the railway tracks against the unabated pollution in the area from the factory. The protesters claimed that fluoride contents from the plant are polluting the environment and contaminating the villagers' only source of drinking water. <snip>

The discharge of the plant's ash slurry depositing in the fields, apart from spoiling the land, has reduced the productivity of the paddy fields.

"Here we cannot grow vegetables or any crop. The cattle is also suffering due to pollution. Our crops have been affected due to pollution caused by NALCO, " said Purosottam Singh

Even though no NALCO official agreed to comment on the issue, Arabind Padhi, the collector of the district, said measures were being taken to prevent further deterioration of the situation. <snip>

http://www.newkerala.com/news-daily/news/features.php?action=fullnews&id=87473