Chhattisgarh CM urges NMDC to control pollution of rivers

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh today directed the National Minerals Development Corporation to take effective measures to control contamination of water bodies due to its iron ore project in South Bastar.
The Chief Minister also told the corporation to find a permanent solution to water pollution in the region largely inhibited by tribals who are mainly dependent on rivers for their basic needs.
"CM Raman Singh has instructed National Minerals Development Corporation (NMDC) to take effective measures to control water pollution in rivers and ponds caused during the process of blasting for the Bailadila iron ore mining project in Dantewada district," an official said here today, adding that the decisions were taken during a meeting of the Bastar and Southern Area Tribal Development Authority chaired by the Chief Minister at the Mantralaya last evening.

Acknowledging that the NMDC iron ore project in South Bastar contaminated Dankini and Shankhini rivers particularly, the Chhattisgarh government had ordered a survey of affected villages few months ago.
Meanwhile, revenue department officials said that the district administration had organised a camp in Bacheli (Dantewada), where NMDC distributed nearly Rs 1.19 crore as compensation to 255 project-affected farmers in 15 villages on the banks of the rivers in the Bailadila area.
During the meeting, the Bastar Development Authority also approved nearly Rs 35 crore for 753 construction works to be carried out in 12 districts under its jurisdiction in the current financial year 2013-14, the officials said.

This includes Rs 5.85 crore for electricity connections to irretrievable irrigation pumps of 775 tribal farmers and Rs 45 lakh to Chhattisgarh Renewable Energy Development Agency to set up a solar power plant in Keshkal Valley, the officials said.