Jamshedpur: In a review meeting of the Environment and Pollution Control Committee of the Legislative Assembly held at the Collectorate in Jamshedpur, Potka MLA Sanjib Sardar demanded that residents of Chatikocha village in Jadugoda should be relocated immediately.
Sardar alleged, “The ill effects of radiation persist in the village, where 20 to 25 children are disabled. Many others have also been affected by radiation. Inspection had been conducted in the past regarding this matter, but no concrete action has been taken so far. This issue has been ignored for a long time. Four Deputy Commissioners of East Singhbhum have changed, but no permanent solution has been found for this village, which houses 500 people. This issue is not just about pollution, but also about displacement and rehabilitation.”
Following Sardar’s accusations, the committee directed the district administration to immediately start the process of rehabilitation of the affected people of Chatikocha village and take concrete steps in this direction.
The committee also held a review meeting with district-level officials in the Assembly Hall, Jamshedpur. The meeting was chaired by the committee’s chairman, MLA Uday Shankar Singh. Committee members MLA Shweta Singh, MLA Jiggo Horo, and Potka MLA Sanjeev Sardar were also present.
In the meeting, the committee sought updated information from the District Mining Officer on the status of mining operations in the district and revenue collection. The District Mining Officer stated that the revenue collection target has been achieved. Providing information on the action taken against illegal mining, the DMO stated that this year, FIRs have been registered, vehicles have been seized, and lawbreakers have been fined. The committee also reviewed the current status of sand mining.
The Pollution Control Department reviewed the pollution situation in industrial units operating in the district. The committee directed the mandatory installation of air pollution control units in all factories, strict adherence to pollution standards, planting trees in industrial premises, constructing boundary walls, and regularly sprinkling water on roads.
The committee instructed the Labor Superintendent to ensure minimum wages are paid to laborers, while the Employment Officer was asked to ensure 75 percent employment benefits are offered to local residents. The committee also instructed the Health Department to dispose biomedical waste generated from hospitals in a scientific manner. In addition, other departments, including drinking water, DMFT, land acquisition, and the Municipal Corporation, were also reviewed.
All district-level officials including Additional Deputy Commissioner, Civil Surgeon, Director NEP, SOR, Engineers of Technical Departments, SDO, CMO, Education Department, Municipal Body were present in the meeting.
