The Orissa State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB) has sent closure notices to two Bhushan Group companies for their 10 sponge iron kilns on violation of pollution control norms.
The OPCB notice was sent on Wednesday to Bhushan Steel Ltd (BSL) and Bhushan Power and Steel Ltd (BPSL) for their DRI kilns at Meramundali in Dhenkana, and at Rengali in Sambalpur respectively.
"There were public complaints and other reports against the two companies regarding violation of pollution control norms. We have sent notices to only the sponge iron units of these integrated steel plants,” said Siddhant Das, member secretary, OSPCB.
Both steel plants at Dhenkanal and Sambalpur have eight sponge iron kilns each having a capacity to produce 500 tonne per day. The OSPCB ordered to close down six units of Dhenkanal plant of BSL and four units of Sambalpur plant of BPSL.
This is the third such action taken by the pollution control board in last three months.
In September, the pollution control board had served partial closure notices to 26 sponge iron units for their failure to undertake pollution mitigation measures like up-gradation of bag filter and installation of pneumatic dust handling system.
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These 26 sponge iron plants will face final closure if they fail to implement the pollution mitigation measures within November.
IIT-Kharagpur had carried out a detailed study on the functioning of 104 out of 109 sponge iron plants in the state and had recommended these plants to upgrade bag filter and install pneumatic dust handling system to control pollution.
Based on IIT-K recommendation, the OSPCB had closed down six sponge iron units in July.