Bhubaneswar, Oct 12: The Orissa State Pollution Control Board has issued directions for shutting down 10 kilns in Dhenkanal and Sambalpur for violating pollution control norms. While six kilns belongs to the sponge iron plants of Bhusan Steel in Dhenkanal, the remaining four are of Bhusan Power and Steel company in Sambalpur.

Six out of the existing eight kilns of the 500 tonnes per day capacity Bhusan Steel unit would remain shut until they install or rectify all pollution control systems as prescribed by the board. Similarly, the board has also decided to close the coal fired boiler (33MW) coke oven and oxygen plants for not adhering to the pollution norms.

Board officials said that four kilns out of the existing eight kilns of Bhusan Power and Steel plant at Rengali in Sambalpur, would also be shut down. The cold rolling mill would also be shut down as the authorities have started its operation without obtaining prior the board’s consent.

Board member secretary Siddhanta Das said the decision was taken after the concerned industries failed to take steps for controlling air pollution.

“The concerned authorities were served with show-cause notices and asked to take corrective measures but after inspection we found that the measures they had taken were not sufficient to control pollution. So we decided to close down the facilities causing pollution,” he said.

The concerned collectors and police chiefs have been directed to implement the decision of the board with immediate effect. The board had earlier given Bhusan’s Sambalpur plant time till March 31 to take corrective steps after issuing a show-cause notice and holding a personal hearing. Following this, a team from Bhubaneswar office of the board conducted a surprise inspection of the unit on August 19.