The Arunachal Pradesh government regularly monitors the Iron smelter industry at Lekhi, near here, to oversee the compliance of environmental norms and directives are issued to plug the loopholes for any non-compliance, an Arunachal Pradesh minister said on Wednesday.
The emission from ferro alloys industries comprises particulate matter, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide and when these pollutants are released beyond the prescribed standards, they cause damage to the environment and public health, he said.
The Environment, Forest & Climate Change Minister Wangki Lowang, said this while responding to a question by NPP MLA Thangwang Wangham in the assembly.
Lowang said that the industry was shut down in 2020 and 2022 for non-functioning air pollution control devices till their restoration was complete.
"The industry has installed bag filters, induction draught fans, emission stack height of 30 meters and fume extraction system to control pollution. The Pollution Control Board has also taken several measures to ensure compliance with environmental norms by the industry,” the minister said.
Lowang added that the raw materials consumed by the industry include quartz, mill scale, charcoal and coke.
Responding to a supplementary from the MLA, the minister said that pollution is unavoidable up to the permissible level if the state plans to set up industries, which is almost non-existent so far.
When Wangham asked from where the industry purchases raw materials and how much royalties are being paid to the government, Lowang said that the unit procures materials from other states.
“There are reports of availability of quartz in the state but so far no mining activities have begun to extract the mineral,” the minister added.
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