Correspondent
RUKSIN, 25 Jun: Several hundred villagers from seven villages in Ruksin, East Siang district, staged a protest rally on Wednesday, demanding the relocation of the silicon factory operating in the Niglok Industrial Growth Centre (IGC) to a sustainable, non-residential area.
The protesters, including Ruksin ZPM Aruni Jamoh, representatives of the AdiSU, members of community organizations, and a sizable number of village women, assembled at the Niglok IGC playground and marched to the Ruksin General Ground to mark the protest rally.
The villagers alleged that the silicon factory operated by M/s Aether Alloys LLP is causing air and water pollution, thereby posing health hazards to residents of the surrounding villages and adjacent areas of Ruksin sub-division.
The protesters, united under the banner of the ‘IGC Pollution-Affected People’s Forum,’ had earlier submitted a complaint to the East Siang deputy commissioner, demanding intervention
for the relocation of the hazardous silicon industry.
The forum also alleged gross violations of the Factories Act, 1948, by the silicon factory operating in Niglok IGC and urged the authorities to initiate action against the industrial unit.
The National Green Tribunal (NGT), following a report published in this daily, took suo motu cognizance of the pollution caused by the silicon factory set up in the IGC.
Following complaints from local residents, the state’s industries commissioner Saugat Biswas, along with senior officials from the departments of industry, trade & commerce, and skill development, visited Niglok IGC during the last week of April this year.
The officials assured that directives would be issued to assess the pollution levels caused by the silicon factory and that steps would be taken to resolve the issue after technical experts conducted pollution tests, the official added.
However, it is alleged that no effective mechanism has yet been implemented by the authorities to control the environmental pollution caused by the silicon factory.
The IGC Pollution-Affected People’s Forum, led by its president Opir Paron, later submitted a petition to the state’s Chief Minister (through the Ruksin ADC), demanding prompt action to relocate the silicon factory.
They have also urged the government to halt the establishment of polluting industries in the IGC, remove stone crushers operating in the industrial area, promote only agro-based industry units, and create green zones around the IGC to prevent industrial pollution.
The forum further warned the government of continued agitation if their demands are not addressed by the concerned authorities.
