ET reported that Orissa government has served partial closure notice to 26 sponge iron plants in a bid to tighten its noose against polluting industries in the state as these plants have not been complying with the stipulated pollution control norms.

Forest and environment minister Mr Debi Prasad Mishra told the reporters that "The 26 sponge iron units are found not enhancing their bag filter capacity and dust handling system despite several notices. Some of them are told to scale down production or work under the capacity of their bag filter.”

In June last, the Orissa State Pollution Control Board has asked 6 sponge iron units to shut down for not adhering to environment safety measures as earlier directed by it. Besides, it had served show cause notices to 68 sponge iron units.

Member Secretary of the Orissa State Pollution Control Board, Mr Siddhant Das said that "Initially, 68 units were served with show cause notices. Forty two responded and enhanced their bag filter. But, 26 others are yet to modify themselves.”

The closure notice was given following a study by the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur. The study found that out of 104 sponge iron units, only 29 plants had complied the prescribed back-filter and pneumatic safety measures recommended by the institute to reduce the pollution level.

In the first phase, while 29 units fully complied in the first phase, seven others were on different stages of modification. Orissa is the largest producer of sponge iron in the country employing more than 40,000 people and contributes INR 11 billion annually to the state exchequer. Orissa Sponge Iron sector exists in six Clusters namely, Smbalpur, Jharsuguda, Rourkela, Angul, Jajpur and Keonjhar. At present 104 DRI units are in operation in the state with enhanced installed capacity of 11.5 million tonne. The production during 2009 was about 6 million tonne.

Aware of the stern pollution control measure, Orissa Sponge Iron Manufacturers' Association with the help of IPICOL and C-Tran is implementing Clean Development Mechanism project.

Mr PL Mahanty chairman of OSIMA told The ET that "Some units have not complied with the OPCB order as they needed more time. All of them are keen to implement measures as prescribed by IIT. But we need little more time.”

(Sourced from ET)