Ranchi (IANS) Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren has taken serious note of allegations of environmental pollution caused by a steel factory in Ramgarh district and has directed the district administration to take immediate action.
The Chief Minister’s intervention came after a video surfaced on social media allegedly showing large-scale air pollution caused by a steel plant operated by a private company. The video was recorded by a local youth, Surendra, a resident of Ramgarh, who claimed that excessive ash and dust were being released from the factory and spreading across nearby areas.
The video was later shared on the social media platform ‘X’ by an account named Ashok Danoda, drawing widespread attention. Taking suo motu cognisance of the matter, Chief Minister Hemant Soren reposted the video and termed the situation “completely unacceptable.”
The Chief Minister instructed the Deputy Commissioner of Ramgarh to immediately investigate the allegations, take necessary action as per the rules, and submit a detailed report to the government. In the video, Surendra is seen showing bushes, trees, and open land around the factory premises covered in a thick layer of ash. The video further demonstrates how the fine particles easily disperse into the air, allegedly spreading to nearby agricultural fields and forest areas.
The social media post sarcastically remarked that the steel plant was not only producing steel but also supplying “fertiliser” to surrounding fields and forests in the form of ash and dust. Government officials said that the district administration has been alerted and is expected to examine whether environmental norms and pollution control standards are being violated.
In Ramgarh district, people have often alleged in the past that industrial units are causing air and environmental pollution and ignoring prescribed safeguards. Some factories in the region have also faced accusations of labour exploitation.
There have also been allegations that illegal coal mining is flourishing in parts of Ramgarh, Hazaribagh, and Bokaro districts, allegedly driven by the demand from nearby industrial units. It is claimed that coal extracted illegally from forests and other areas is being transported to factories using heavy machinery, including JCBs.
