Sambalpur, Nov. 30: Farmers of villages near Hindalco Industries Limited at Hirakud heaved a sigh of relief as the Odisha State Pollution Control Board directed the company to check emission of fluoride gas from the plant.

The farmers had complained about crop damage due to toxic emission from the plant.

Recently, they had also complained that the standing crop in over 200 acres got damaged due to emission from the plant during the Phailin-induced rain on October 12 and 13.

Following the complaint, a three-member team had visited the Hindalco plant and the peripheral villages on November 11 and 12 to find a permanent solution to the problem. The team confirmed crop loss due to fluoride emission. Following the inspection, the board has directed Hindalco to check recurrence of crop loss due to the fluoride emission.

The board has directed Hindalco Industries Limited to maintain strict operational discipline and vigilance to close the pot doors and improve the hooding efficiency of fume collection in all pot rooms so as to maintain the fugitive fluoride emission within prescribed standard. Similarly, it has also directed the industry to explore automation in the pot door-closing mechanism and implement the same in all pots to ensure minimum door opening and higher hooding efficiency.

The other directives include steps for installing laser-based online gaseous fluoride monitoring system and ensuring continuous operation of the online monitoring system installed at the fume treatment plant.

It also asked the company to display the online monitoring data on fluoride and other pollutants by installing a digital display board near the main gate for public reference. Besides, the board asked the industry to develop a thick green belt around the smelter plant, install online monitoring system in the fume treatment plant and pot room of the new line immediately. Moreover, the company will have to identify sources of all wastewater generation in the smelter and isolate them from being discharged to the Tarasinghpara drain, take action to treat the leachate collected from the spent pot lining storage area.

It will also have to develop a strategic plan for minimising fluoride emission during adverse conditions based on the weather forecast.

The board asked Hindalco to submit a time-bound action plan in this regard within 15 days.

Joint president (HR) of Hindalco Subeer Mukhopadhya said: “We are going to submit the action plan within 15 days.”