Integrated approach needed to tackle pollution

The State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) had recently served closure notices on BR Sponge of Bonaigarh and META Sponge in Kalunga industrial range, Rourkela, for violation of pollution control norms. This action was in response to complaints made by those living in the peripheral areas of the plants.

The Kalunga Industrial Estate has nine more sponge iron plants which have concentrated in one limited area and if all of them discharge even one per cent of their pollutants from their kilns into the air then its cumulative effect on the ambient air quality will be enormous and affect the human habitats nearby.

Besides, coal based DRI plants (Sponge Iron), coal fired rolling mills, refractory unit and induction furnace located in the area have higher pollution potential. Installed ESPs in sponge iron plants are non operational during start up of the kilns, shutdown of kilns and temporary power failure. During instant power failure, a spurt of emission takes from the kiln for a period of 10 to 15 minutes, since the DG sets which supplies the backup power to operate ESP needs at least 10 minutes to synchronize its operation with the process units.

The sponge iron units of Kalunga consist of at least two kilns. There has to be a gap of 15 minutes between shutdown and the startup time of these kilns. This is the crucial period to watch as the pollution level especially the ash content increases manifold.

Normally, the air ambient should be 100 microgram per meter cube.

Moreover, while carrying dry raw materials through 800 to 1,000 trucks daily, the iron ore fines fly into the air. Therefore, fugitive emission due to transportation is also a major concern in the area.

Also, after dumping of the material if water sprinkling is not done or the materials do not get tarpaulin cover, then it leads to air pollution. There are other types of industrial discharge, including solid waste, which pollute the environment and that is why industries are advised to equip with ESPs, Bag Filters and weight scrubbers, besides providing a fool proof solid waste management system.

Therefore, anatomy of pollution sans knowledge in physics and chemistry is beyond the understanding of the common men who live around the industrial complex. It is natural people react apprehending health hazards when they see black smoke on the sky.

The Pollution Control Board, more often than not, is blamed for dereliction of duty and alleged acceptance of grafts from the erring units. The board along with other agencies of the Government empowered to book the erring establishments under various provisions of pollution control law should, therefore, hold their hands and heads together to ensure zero tolerance to any kind of pollution. Coming to problems of Kalunga Industrial Estate, the infrastructure has been provided by IDCO. Now if there is any shortcoming, for example, the drainage system which has to be made fool proof, IDCO should take up the responsibility of completing and not abandon the task halfway.

Similarly, the district administration has to ensure that the residential houses built over the industry premises should be rendered illegal from health point of view. Whether they take action to evict them is a million-dollar question.

The Municipal Corporation, yet another Government agency, which bears direct responsibility of providing its denizens a pollution free environment, is itself accused to be a party discharging polluted drain waters into river Brahmani before treatment.

Pollution control, therefore, needs an integrated approach. The common belief that it is the responsibility of the OSPCB  alone, is a misnomer .If the right hand doesn’t know what the left hand is doing and in the event of a coordinated approach missing, zero tolerance  to pollution will be a far cry.

(The writer is an ex-PR Manager of SAIL)