The Assembly

Bhubaneswar, Nov. 21: A committee of the state Assembly on environment has alleged it was given the rough edge by a steel company whose plant it had gone to inspect in Dhenkanal district.

The Bhushan Steel Plant produces hot rolled coils. The committee on environment visited the district on November 10 to see whether industries in the area were complying with environmental norms.

Chairman of the committee Debashish Nayak told The Telegraph that after reaching the district the authorities had been informed about the visit. However, when the MLAs reached the plant, no official was there to meet the delegation. “Officials of the plant appeared after we had waited there for nearly 45 minutes. The officials even misbehaved with some of our members. We will certainly report all these to the Assembly,” said Nayak who was a former minister in the Naveen Patnaik government. Nayak also pointed out that during their one hour inspection of the plant the committee found that the factory was discharging untreated waste to the Brahmani river. “Within five minutes, the entire clothes of all the team members were covered with black dust. Large-scale emission is taking place from the plant,” he said. Last year, during its visit to the plant the committee advised the company to abide by the environmental norms.

Another committee member Jitu Patnaik said the government should immediately close down the plant. “Not a single norm is being adhered to by the plant,” he said. Patnaik too alleged that the company officials had misbehaved with the team. “They did not even take care to ensure minimum decency,” he said.

Former minister Aurobinda Dhali, who was also the team member, echoed the same feelings. “They did not cooperate with us,” he alleged expressing his displeasure with the way the delegation was treated by the company.

However, officials of the Bhushan Steel refuted allegations of the committee members. “We extended them all cooperation. You can ask the chairman of the committee Nayak,” said Satish Tyagi, a senior official of the company.

The Assembly has constituted a six-member committee led by Nayak to assess the impact of upcoming industries on environment. Other members of the team include Bijayshree Routray, Arabind Dhali, Rama Chandra Kadam, Jitu Patnaik and Chandra Sarathi Behera. During its Dhenkanal visit, the team was supposed to assess the status of environment at Narbheram Power and Steel Limited, Nava Bharat Ferrow Allows Limited, Utkal Asbestos Limited, Shakti Sugar and Rana Sponge Limited.

Bhubaneswar, Nov. 21: A committee of the State Assembly on environment was given the rough edge by a steel company whose plant it had gone to inspect in Dhenkanal district.

The Bhusan Steel Plant produces hot rolled coils. The committee on Environment visited the district on November 10 to see whether industries in the area were complying with environmental norms.

Chairman of the committee, Debashish Nayak told the Telegraph that after reaching the district the company was informed that the members wanted to visit the plant. However, when the MLAs reached the plant , no official was there to meet the delegation.

“We had to wait for nearly 45 minutes before the officials of the plant appeared. The company officials even misbehaved with some of our members. We will certainly report all this to the assembly,” said Nayak who was a Minister in the Naveen Patnaik Government earlier.

Nayak also pointed out that during their one hour inspection of the plant the committee found that the factory was discharging untreated waste to the Brahmani river. “Within five minutes, the entire clothes of all the team members were covered with black dust. Largescale emission is taking place from the plant,” he said. During its visit to the plant last year the committee had advised the company to abide by the environmental norms.

Another committee member, Jitu Patnaik said the government should immediately close down the plant. “Not a single norm is being followed by the plant,” he remarked. Patnaik also alleged that the company officials misbehaved with the team. “ They did not take care to ensure minimum decency,” he said.

Another team member, former minister, Aurobinda Dhali echoed the same feelings. “They did not cooperate with us,” he alleged expressing his displeasure with the way the delegation was treated by the company.

However, officials of the Bhusan Steel refuted the allegations of committee members. “We extended them all cooperation. You can ask the chairman of the committee, Mr. Nayak,” said Satish Tyagi, a senior official of the company.

The assembly has constituted a six member committee led by Nayak to asses the impact of upcoming industries on environment. The other members of the team are Bijayshree Routray, Arabind Dhali, Rama Chandra Kadam, Jitu Patnaik and Chandra Sarathi Behera.

During its Dhenkanal visit the team was supposed to assess the status of environment at Narbheram Power and Steel Limited, Nava Bharat Ferrow Allows Limited, Utkal Asbestos Limited, Shakti Sugar and Rana Sponge Limited.