Correspondent
RUKSIN, 10 Jul: Functionaries of the IGC Pollution-Affected People’s Forum (IGCPAPF), who are protesting against the operation of a silicon factory in Niglok in East Siang district, met the silicon factory’s officials on Thursday and discussed the mitigation policies taken up by the industry’s authority.
The forum, constituted with the local villagers of Ruksin circle, has alleged that the silicon factory operated by M/s Aether Alloys LLP is creating air and water pollution in the surrounding villages, and has demanded that the factory be relocated to an isolated place.
The forums’ leaders, led by retired APP SP Opir Paron, visited the structures of the factory, including devices installed to resist emission of smoke and dust at the silicon manufacturing plant.
The leaders of the organization said they were not convinced by the CEO’s explanation, and decided to invite a third-party expert team to examine the pollution issue.
The forum alleged that no effective mechanism to control environmental pollution posed by the silicon factory has been set up by the authority so far. They also alleged gross violation of the Factories Act, 1948, the Environment Protection Act, 1986, and the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 against the silicon factory operating from the Niglok IGC (Industrial Growth Centre).
It may be recalled that the National Green Tribunal (NGT), following a news published in this daily on 28 April this year, took suo motu cognizance of pollution from the silicon factory.
It is learnt that the matter has been transferred to the Kolkata (WB)-based eastern zonal bench of the NGT for further proceedings, with the next hearing scheduled for 21 July.