Committee to look into pollution created in Jharkhand rivers

The Jharkhand government will form a committee to check the pollution created in the rivers through waste from steel and power plants.

Agriculture Minister Randhir Singh said: "A committee will be formed to look into the pollution created in rivers from factories like steel and power plants."

Ruling BJP legislator Biranchi Narayan raised the issue during question hour. "Is this correct that many plants are situated on banks of rivers. The waste of the factories are dumped in the rivers without treatment," Biranchi asked.

In a written reply the state government admitted that big plants were situated on banks of the rivers.

The government also admitted the waste were being dumped into the rivers particularly in Damodar river. Coal wahsery, steel and power plants are situated on the bank of Damodar river.

The ash pond of Tenughat Vidyut Nigam Limited (TVNL) and Patratu Thermal Power Plants Station (PTPS) ash ponds were being flowed into the Damodar river due to which the content of total suspended solid was high from the set limit.

"The state government should constitute Special Investigating Team (SIT) to look into the issue. It should slap fines and actions should be taken against the factories polluting the rivers," said Biranchi.

Some members of the ruling party said ash ponds of some central government steel plants public sector undertakings not functioning properly.

The Minister agreed to constitute special committee to look into the issue.