By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR/JHARSUGUDA: The M.C. Agarwal and Anurag Agarwal owned SMC Power Generation Ltd, which has plants in Odisha’s Jharsuguda and Chhttisgarh’s Raipur Industrial area, has been under scanner after several activists were on Monday demanded a CBI probe into the state of affairs of the Company in Odisha.
“The Company’s plant in Jharsuguda has been creating a lot of air and water pollution in Jharsuguda-Sambalpur Industrial belt. The Company has also violated many laws of Forest and Environment and Wildlife Protection Acts,” said Umakanta Senapati, an activist in Bhubaneswar. “We have urged the Directorate General of GST Intelligence, Bhubaneswar Zonal Unit to look into company’s GST issues,” he added.
Locals in Jharsuguda alleged that using illegal means and ways going “A CBI raid in Jharsuguda, New Delhi and Raaipur will expose all Company’s illegal network,” he added. The studied silence of Naveen Patnaik led BJD Government in Odisha over illegal activities in and air-water pollution in Jharsuguda-Sambalpur region by SMC Power Generation Ltd
“Due to deforestation in various hills, 80 per cent of streams have gone dry. The water flow in Deogarha’s Padhanpata, Sundargarh’s Khandadhar and Keonjhar’s Sanaghagara and Badaghagara waterfalls has decreased by 50 per cent in last 10 years,” .“ The Government had earlier admitted that the water-flow in the Padhanpata waterfall at Deogarh had decreased drastically due to destruction of forests. But on the contrary, it showing favour to SMC Power Generation Ltd,” a local activist in Jharsuguda said.
Locals in Jharsuguda areas however expressed concerns over the dwindling of the wild animals and the increasing man-animal conflict in human habitations due to water and fodder scarcity in jungles and hills.
After Rourkela, Jharsuguda had become the most promising destination for industries because of the region’s easy railway connectivity with the rest of the country, presence of abundant coal and adequate water from the Hirakud reservoir and availability of easy labour but pollution has crossed all its limits.
This apart, it violated Mines and Minerals Act, Mines and Minerals Regulation Act of 1957’s section 21. The company involved in illegal mining, theft and transportation. The company has violated pollution control act of 1986, air pollution control act of 1981, water pollution control act of 1974 and forest rights act of 1980.
Companies were supposed to extract mining with clearance of air and water pollution control under various acts like Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 and consent to operate under the Water (PCP) Act, 1974 and Air (PCP) Act, 1981.
The firm has been violating forest and wildlife laws .The Company, which is also creating air and water pollution while defying orders of Odisha State Pollution Control Board and Union Forest and Environment Ministry. Action should have taken against the company under Forest Conservation Act, 1980 and Odisha Forest Act-1972 and Mines and Minerals Act.
Company which operating without valid consent to operate should have been issued closure directions or will be prosecuted as per the provisions in Water (PCP) Act, 1974 and Air(PCP) Act, 1981.While granting “consent to operate”, it will be ensured that the proponent has obtained all other statutory clearances under Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 and Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.The Company has no respect to labour laws, they said.
Without wanting to be identified, a businessman associated with materials supply to the industries of Jharsuguda said to www.indianewsdiary.com that many steel and power industries including SMC Power Generation Pvt Ltd were collecting raw materials – such as iron ore and coal – illegally without paying taxes for a long time.
But the inflow of such illegally-obtained raw materials was checked all of a sudden with the state government acting tough on the violation and ensuring strict checking of ore-laden materials in the region. As the tax-evading illegal materials became scarce, it also impacted the profits of the factory owners. This was another reason for the companies to shut their establishments.
