Jajpur, May 5: At a public hearing held yesterday at Baulamala Hata Padia in Jajpur, residents of Gobareswar village under Mahisara panchayat has opposed the setting up of an iron-ore project.

Sources said J.P. Ferrous Limited has proposed to set up a 1.2million tonne per annum iron-ore plant at Gobareswar village, where a majority of the population is scheduled caste and schedule tribe farmers. The hearing was organised under the Environmental Protection Act to seek opinion of the local people.

“We have been facing severe air and water pollution as hundreds of stone crushers illegally operate in the area. Life has become a hell for us because of such polluting units. When pollution has become so alarming, setting up of any polluting plant here is not desirous and is detrimental to the area’s flora and fauna,” said Hemanta Pradhan.

“We will oppose the proposed project tooth and nail,” he added.