Clean Damodar or face action: Saryu

Sindri: Industries taking water from the Damodar River also have the responsibility of keeping it clean and pollution-free. Making this observation, Jharkhand food and supplies minister Saryu Rai warned the industries releasing untreated and affluents in the water of stern action.
Rai was here to take stock of the pollution in Damodar and factors responsible for polluting the river under Damodar Bachao Campaign which was launched around 12 years ago.
After visiting the river banks at Mohalbani, Sudamdih, Chasnala and Sindri, the minister informed that sample from 21 places in the river has been collected about a week ago. Once the test reports are available, he will request the state government to take stern action against the industries polluting the Damodar, he added.
He informed that he got information regarding coal washeries of SAIL and BCCL besides the ACC cement factory at Sindri which continues to release affluents in the river. Though no affluent water was seen flowing during the visit, the water on the river banks were found to be muddy which suggested that the industries are yet to fulfill the pollution control norms.
Charging the functioning of the state pollution control board, Rai said that the Bokaro Steel Plant was blatantly violating pollution norms and was releasing polluted affluent water directly into the river which was a matter of concern.
"I will take up this matter with the Centre," he said adding that he had a meeting with Union minister Piyush Goel in this regard and Goyal directed the DVC and Coal India subsidiaries to not release affluent water directly into the river. The companies have started working in this direction but a lot needs to done in this regard, he added.
He also stressed on the need to set up small sewerage treatment plants alongside the river bed to stop the release of sewage water into the river.