Balodabazar. Once again the villagers have taken to the streets in protest against the sponge iron industry and have warned the Collector to boycott the Lok Sabha elections if action is not taken.
The villagers of village Khajri, about ten km away from Balodabazar, have been opposing the sponge iron industry being set up there since the beginning. Earlier, they had filed an application to the Collector-SDM and registered their protest and also demonstrated, but due to no action from the administration and the resumption of work in the sponge iron industry, the angry villagers reached the Collector’s office today and submitted an application to the Collector to boycott the Lok Sabha elections. Gave.
Villagers say that earlier the company had set up a power plant here, due to which we were troubled by the flying smoke and coal. Now the company is going to set up sponge iron industry with the connivance of administrative officials without taking NOC from the Panchayat. Due to this the surrounding villagers are upset and are worried about the future danger. Have seen the condition of Urla, Siltara and surrounding villages of Raipur. There is Shivnath river and Jam Naiya drain here, which are used for drinking water. Due to this that too will get polluted. Seeing this, all of us villagers are opposing it.
The villagers said, when we had protested in the past, the administration had promised to cooperate but today the company has again started the work, against which we have come to protest. If immediate action is not taken then we will boycott the elections. An application has been given to the collector regarding this.
The matter will be investigated and action will be taken: Collector
Collector KL Chauhan explained to the villagers and said that election boycott is not necessary. The matter will be investigated and action will be taken. Let us tell you that earlier also when the company had set up a power plant, the ash was thrown on the roads and dumped in the village, due to which the water started getting polluted. At that time the villagers had protested but now the company is setting up a sponge iron industry under the guise of a power plant, which the villagers are opposing.
