[ Prafulla Kaman ]
RUKSIN, 2 Apr: Residents of several villages in Ruksin circle of East Siang district have raised fresh complaint against the ferro-silicon factory established at the Industrial Growth Centre (IGC) in Niglok.
The villagers, who are on a prolonged agitation against the factory unit, submitted a fresh complaint with the Ruksin ADC on Thursday, stating that the silicon factory operated by M/s Aether Alloys LLP obtained the no-objection certificate (NOC) in an illegal way and installed the factory unit without conducting any public hearing.
The agitating villagers in the complaint reiterated that the silicon industry is affecting natural resources and community health of the area, thereby posing a serious threat to their future generations and nature-based livelihood.
Gaon burahs of Ruksin area, who also filed a similar complaint before the ADC, stated that representatives of the silicon company misled them and collected the NOC by providing false, incomplete and manipulated information about the ferro-silicon factory.
The GBs lamented that they are bearing the brunt of public anger as the affected people are questioning them for giving consent to setting up the silicon factory without knowing its consequences.
“In fact, the company representatives did not explain to us about the project design, so we were unaware of the heavy factory and its subsequent implications. Now we observe that the factory is posing serious environmental issues, besides creating health hazards and social disturbances,” said Niglok Head GB Talung Saroh, demanding that the authority concerned initiate necessary steps to “suspend the NOC of the silicon factory run by M/s Aether Alloys LLP.”
The protesting villagers have demanded that the authority suspend operation of the factory and institute an independent expert panel to verify and investigate the rising complaints, and also conduct a public hearing regarding the silicon factory row.
To mark their continued protest and fresh demand, several hundred villagers, including a large number of women and youths, took out a march along the MMJ road and National Highway 515 on Thursday and shouted slogans against the silicon factory.
The protesters later assembled at the Ruksin general ground, where they discussed their demands.
It may be mentioned here that, following a news report published in this daily, the National Green Tribunal’s Kolkata bench took suo motu cognisance of the alleged large-scale environmental pollution caused by the ferro-alloy factory operating in Niglok IGC.
Later, IGC Pollution Affected People’s Forum leader Dishing Tagi filed a formal petition, expressing the problems and public grievances. The matter came up for hearing on 9 March before Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi (judicial member) and Dr A Senthil Vel (expert member).
The petition alleged that the ferro-alloy factory is releasing pollutants that are adversely affecting villages, including Niglok, Ngorlung, Ralung, Rayang, Mikong, Mangnang, and Lingka in Ruksin circle.
