21 polluting factories get closure notice

Twenty one industrial units in the state were served closure notice by the Orissa State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB), under the environmental protection act, 1986 during the current fiscal.

These include Baldev Plastic Industries located at Januganj (Balasore), Maa Durga Polymer, Mahavir Packaging, Ajanta Packers, Utkal Plastic Industry,Tayal Plastic Industries, Akhandalamani Polythene, Maa Vaishnodevi Plastics and Jit Pack located at Jagatpur industrial estate.

Besides, Sunil Trade Links located at Somepur (Ganjam), Baba Poly Flex (Berhampur), Kiran Industries (Berhampur), Annapurna Plastics, Balaje Plastics (industrial estate, Berhampur), Maa Bimala Workshop located at Chandaka Industrial Estate (Bhubaneswar), National Plastic Industry located at Chancha Industrial Estate (Baripada), Divyajyoti Chemical (P) Ltd. located at Bhuban in Dhenkanal district and Paradeep Phosphate Ltd (PPL) located in Jagatsinghpur district were also issued closure notice, official sources said.

During the current fiscal, 43 projects having potential to cause water and air pollution were accorded environmental clearance by the Union ministry of environment and forests (MoEF).

Important projects among them are Patmunda Manganese Ore Mines owned by Orissa Manganese ans Minerals (P) Ltd. in Sundergarh district, Thakurani Iron Ore Mines owned by Sarda Mines (P) Ltd. (Keonjhar district), Kurmitar Iron Ore Mines and Tiringi Pahar Iron Ore Mines located in Keonjhar district and owned by the Orissa Mining Corporation (OMC) and Sukinda Chromite Ore Mining Project, owned by Indian Metals and Ferro Alloys Ltd.

The expansion of the Joda East Iron Mining Project promoted by Tata Steel in Keonjhar district and Ispat Sukinda Chromite Mining Project taken up by Balasore Alloys Ltd in Jajpur district also received environmental clearance.