NAHARLAGUN, Feb 12: The North East Human Rights Organization (NEHRO) on Wednesday said that it will be filing a petition at the National Green Tribunal within the first week of April 2020 for the failure of the Arunachal Pradesh State Pollution Control Board (APSPCB) in initiating action against the SMS Smelter factory located at Lekhi village near here.
Strongly condemning the alleged inaction of the APSPCB in initiating action against the SMS Smelter factory at Lekhi village under Papum Pare district despite strict directions by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) New Delhi, the NEHRO has demanded the state government to take action within 30 days.
In a press release, the NEHRO said that the NHRC, New Delhi had last year directed the chairman of the APSPCB “to take necessary action against the SMS Smelter for causing tremendous air pollution within 8 weeks but no action has been taken in this regard.”
The NHRC had issued the direction following a complaint by the NEHRO in 2019.
“Due to huge emission of carbon monoxide and other poisonous emission from the factory situated is causing various health problems to nearby residents. The uncontrolled air pollution due to the smoke emitted by the SMS Smelter factory located near Lekhi village, Naharlagun is resulting in the consequent rise in health problems of local residents. Moreover, the failure of state government to ensure their citizens breathe clean air is a violation of the rights to life, health and wellbeing,” the NEHRO added.
