Jharkhand High Court notices to Govt, JSPCB and Chandil’s sponge iron units 

PUCL alleged of environmental norm violation in setting up firms

Jamshedpur, March 21: Jharkhand High Court issued notices to Union government, state government, Jharkhand State Pollution Control Board (JSPCB) and sponge iron units for setting up units in violation of environmental norms.

The High Court bench of Chief Justice Sanjay Kumar Mishra and Justice Anand Sen hearing a PIL filed by PUCL against the Jharkhand government for allowing to set up sponge iron companies in violation of environmental regulations and thereby violating the basic rights of the villagers of getting pure water.  

The PIL had mentioned about Siddhi Vinayak Metcom Ltd., Narsingh Ispat Ltd., Jai Mangla Sponge Iron Pvt. Ltd., Kohinoor Steel Pvt. Ltd., Juhi Industries Pvt. Ltd., Chandil Industries Pvt. Ltd., Divine Alloys & Power Ltd. and Emaar Alloys Pvt. Ltd. and demanded to be closed immediately.

In view of the gross violation of human rights, the High Court rejected the argument of the Advocate General to send the matter to the National Green Tribunal and instead issued notices against all the guilty companies including the Government of India, the State Government, the State Pollution Control Board .

People’s Union of Civil Liberties (PUCL) has filed a complaint against the sponge units located in Chowka, Chandil and its surrounding area of about 2-3 sq. kms for setting up sponge iron plant in violation of environmental guidelines, providing water to the villagers.

 A PIL was filed in 2019 against depriving, destroying the fertility of the land, polluting the area in gross violation of air emission norms and contaminating natural water streams.

PUCL’s advocate Akhilesh Srivastava told the bench that illegal extraction of groundwater through deep boring by companies in violation of water reuse norms has led to unprecedented depletion of groundwater and destruction of soil fertility, dumping of solid and liquid wastes has deprived the villagers of their basic rights to clean air. He alleged that the units were set up in connivance with the State Government and the Pollution Control Board.

Notably, according to the notification dated May 30, 2008 by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India, sponge iron plants should be established in industrial areas declared by the state government and at least one kilometer away from the population, central and state highways. It should be half a km away and there should be a distance of 5 km between two sponge plants, while these nine companies have plants within about two to three square kilometers in Chowka.

It was alleged that these companies are violating the air quality standards set by the Central Pollution Control Board’s notification dated November 18, 2009.