Officials of the Odisha State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB), Agriculture and Revenue Departments visited villages of Dengimocha, Nuajamda, Chamarpada and Gujatal following allegations of crop damage.
Paddy saplings over hundreds of acres of land were damaged allegedly due to emissions from Hindalco Industries Limited (HIL) on Saturday.
The team which included Sub-Collector Rainu Singh would submit a report to the District Magistrate. This is for the fourth time that such a complaint has been made by farmers who own land in the vicinity of HIL.
The affected farmers met the Sub-Collector at the grievance cell on Saturday. They said crop damage was noticed after incessant rains for two days from July 30.
Last year after reports of crop damage came to light on July 21, the then Regional Officer of OSPCB, Anupam Behera in his report to the District Collector has indicted aluminium major HIL for emission of fluoride from its Smelter Plant at Hirakud which resulted in crop damage.
In his report, Behera had said that analysis of the forage samples collected on July 25, 2011 from the agricultural fields revealed that the damage was due to release of hydrogen fluoride gas.
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