Pollution threat to biodiversity at Dimoria

DIMORIA, Sept 2: Residents in the Dimoria area on the outskirts of Guwahati take ill, especially from skin diseases, more frequently than they had ever. A section of conscious citizens in the area takes it as ringing of the warning bell in so far as pollution in the area is concerned.

The fact remains that a number of industries have sprung up in the Dimoria area, posing a direct threat to the biodiversity in the otherwise green area with blue hills standing not too far. Byrnihat, Samata, Kolongpar etc., areas in Dimoria have cement, steel, coke and other industries. Such industries do emit smoke and discharge waste. What has made the situation dangerous for the residents there is that a section of the industries does not adhere to the industrial norms that are a must to keep the environment clean. With the dry season forthcoming the residents there are a scary lot. They do feel itching on their skins. The allergy they experience is taken by many as the primary symptom of air and water pollution in the area. With coke industries being set up from Jorabat to Byrnihat, they are scared of dust particles that are notorious for making the air hazy and foggy in the dry season. 

The local people say that the Pollution Control Board, Assam (PCBA) does not have any control over the erring industries that have sprung up in the area. Sometimes the industries get caught, but they are let off the hook without making them to face stringent punishment. 

Talking to this reporter, All Kamrup District Students’ Union vice president Dibyajyoti Medhi said: “Some of the industries that have sprung up in the area hardly follow the industrial norms meant for them. The PCBA doesn’t know many of the violation of norms by such industries. Even when they come to know such violation, their action is not that stringent. According to the standing norms, 30 per cent of industrial areas should have plantation. Many of the industries set up in the area can be blamed for their blithe disregard to this norm. Labourers working in the industries have started to feel the ill effect of pollution. They take ill very frequently. According to the standing norms the health of the labourers has to be checked from time to time. However, barring a few, most of the industries there don’t follow this norm.”

The residents of the locality say that with the raining season being passed the PCBA should go for stringent monitoring of the industries and take stringent action so as to let the local residents get rid of various diseases they have been under.