Date:08/06/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/06/08/stories/2006060802400300.htm

Karnataka - Belgaum

Official inspects iron plant site

Staff Correspondent

Belgaum: Assistant Commissioner Vijaykumar N. Torgal inspected the Kundil sponge-iron plant site at Londa in Khanapur taluk on Wednesday following complaints from environmentalists and local people represented by the Londa Gram Panchayat against the company.

On Monday, members of the gram panchayat, women self-help groups and people from Londa and surrounding villages marched to the office of the Deputy Commissioner and submitted a memorandum alleging that the company was carrying out operations in violation of rules.

Trial runs

The protesters alleged that the company had taken up large-scale commercial production without obtaining "consent of operation" from the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) and the gram panchayat concerned. They said the KSPCB had given the company permission only to conduct trial runs and not for commercial production. The protesters alleged that trucks deployed by the company were causing dust pollution, which was affecting the health of people.

The company was also exploiting groundwater for industrial purposes without obtaining permission from the panchayat, they said.