[ Prafulla Kaman ]
RUKSIN, 28 Aug: The Industrial Growth Centre (IGC) Pollution Affected People’s Forum enforced a 12-hour Ruksin circle bandh in East Siang district on Thursday in protest against the inaction of the state government in relocating the hazardous silicon factory from the IGC.
Protesters from seven villages under Ruksin circle,including women, blocked National Highway 515 at the Ruksin entry gate from 5 am to 5 pm during the bandh. Several passenger buses, goods trucks, oil tankers and private vehicles remained stranded along the highway for the day.
However, movement of security forces, ambulance service, and food supply and other essential services were exempted from the purview of the bandh.
Shops and other commercial establishments were also closed for the day, and attendance in government offices and financial banks were thin.
There was no report of any untoward incident during the bandh, and it passed off peacefully.
The forum has been alleging that M/s Aether Alloys LLP (silicon factory) in the IGC is creating air and water pollution in the surrounding villages, thereby posing health hazards to the residents.
In April this year, leaders of the protesting organization had moved the East Siang district administration as well as the Industry Department, demanding relocation of the silicon factory to a sustainable non-residential area. They later staged protest rallies in Niglok and Ruksin headquarters in support of their demand.
Alleging that the silicon industry is violating the Factories Act, 1948, the protesters urged the authority concerned to initiate action against the industrial unit in the IGC and warned of more rigorous movement if their demand is not fulfilled.
Following a report published in this daily in late June this year, the National Green Tribunal took suo motucognizance of pollution from the silicon factory. The tribunal also conducted a hearing in mid-July this year.
