Paradip: The betel vineyards that have sprouted in villages in the close vicinity of industrial units in Paradip wear emaciated look, leaving the vineyard owners in dire straits.

The vineyard owners firmly believe that air pollution has taken a heavy toll on their cash crop and accused the oil refinery unit and a fertilizer plant for the problem.

Betel vineyard owners are thoroughly broken at the crop loss. They had pinned many hopes on good yield this year.

"If there was healthy growth of vineyards and the betel leaves it would have fetched us good return at the market. But things have turned bleak with leaves withering almost on a daily basis. The yield is going down. We are feeling the pinch of loss of our cash crop," said Radhashyam Rout, a betel vineyard owner from Trilochanpur village.

There used to be good monetary return from betel vine trade here. However, since past fortnight, our vineyards suffered intensive damage. The betel leaves have turned pale and stale. There is deposit for oily substances on the leaves. There are no takers for our betel leaves. The loss has hit us hard, our sole source of livelihood, Rout further said.

"We have received complaint of the damage caused to the betel vineyards. Local residents have levelled allegations that pollution in the air from the oil refinery had badly affected the standing vineyards. A team of engineers have rushed to the affected sites. We could arrive at a conclusion on the exact cause of it after the inquiring team submits its report," said Paradip regional officer, State Pollution Control Board, Mukesh Mahaling.

The oil refinery authorities however claimed that it had nothing to do with the damage caused to betel vineyards in Trilochanpur.

The oil company has put in place foolproof pollution control mechanism. Ambient air quality is being maintained round the clock, said Manjushree Singh, a senior manager of the company.