Local residents, including children, stage a dharna at Niharuni in Paradip. Telegraph picture

Paradip, July 25: Giving vent to their anger over unabated air and noise pollution, children flanked by parents and guardians staged demonstration seeking immediate shutdown of a concrete batching plant near their government-run school.

With the batching plant located near the school, on the outskirts of Paradip port town, children are the victims of air pollution perpetrated by the industrial source. With authorities turning a blind eye to their plight, local residents served an ultimatum to the administration to order its closure within a fortnight.

“It has been scientifically proved that the air pollution from industrial sources near schools and educational institutions put children’s health at risk. The noise generated from the industrial activities deeply upset academic ambience and it tells upon the academic success of children,” observed Bibhuti Biswal, chief medical officer, government-run Biju Memorial Hospital, Paradip.

The project primary school at Niharuni on the outskirts of the port town is bearing the brunt of air and noise pollution as a private construction agency engaged in Indian Oil Corporation’s Oil Refinery project work has set up a concrete batching plant hardly 100 metres from the primary educational institution. Children are thoroughly exposed to emission of dust particles from the plant making them vulnerable to respiratory disorder. The matter has been brought to the notice of people’s representatives and district administration. But everybody is insensitive towards the plight of school-going children.

“We have run from pillar to post. But it was of no avail. We have shot off petitions to the local MP, MLA, tehsildar, collector besides state pollution control board. Still the plant is in full swing almost at a hand-shaking distance from the school. As authorities failed to redress our children’s plight, we have taken recourse to agitation,” said Kanaklata Sethy, a member of a local self-help group.

The school has a strength of 33 students. But the attendance continues to be low as parents are not a mood to send their wards to the severely polluted environment in and around the school. A dusty and smoky layer pervades the air making the school inhospitable for classroom teaching, said Bibhuti Bhusan Rath, a local resident.

The project school became functional in March 2009. Everything was fine till the plant was set up about six months back, he said.

“The establishment of the concrete batching plant near any educational institution or place of human habitation is unlawful. We have issued order for its immediate closure. The plant had come up over privately owned agriculture land. As required under law, it was not converted for industrial use. A case has been registered against the landowner under Orissa Land Reform Act, Section 8 (A),” said Kujang tehsildar, Vasudev Pradhan.

Giving vent to their anger over unabated air and noise pollution, children flanked by parents and guardians staged demonstration seeking immediate shutdown of a concrete batching plant near their government-run school.

With the batching plant located in close vicinity of the school on the outskirts of Paradip port town, children are the victims of air pollution perpetrated by the industrial source. With authorities turning a blind eye to their plight, locals resorted to stir serving ultimatum to administration to order its closure within a fortnight.

“It has been scientifically proved that the air pollution from industrial sources near schools and educational institutions put at risk children's health. The noise generated from the industrial activities deeply upsets academic ambience and it tells upon the academic success of children”, observed

Bibhuti Biswal, Chief Medical Officer, government-run Biju Memorial hospital, Paradip.

The project primary school at Niharuni on the outskirts of the port town is bearing the brunt of air and noise pollution as a private construction agency engaged in Indian Oil Corporation’s Oil Refinery project work has set up a concrete batching plant hardly 100 metres from the primary educational institution. Children are thoroughly exposed to emission of dust particles from the plant making them vulnerable to respiratory disorder. The matter has been brought to the notice of people’s representatives and district administration. But everybody is insensitive towards the plight of school-going children.

“We have run from pillar to post. But it was of no avail. We have shot off petitions to the local MP, MLA, Tehsildar, Collector besides state pollution control board. Still the plant is in full swing almost at a hand-shaking distance from the school. As authorities failed to redress our children’s plight, we have taken recourse to agitation”, said Kanaklata Sethy, a member of a local Self-Help Group.