ITANAGAR, Apr 6: The SMS Smelter Ltd/Shree Salasar, Lekhi Village Pollution Affected People’s (SSSLVPAPF) Forum led by its chairman Takam Xavier in a memorandum submitted to chief secretary SD Gamlin has appealed the latter to immediately shift the SMS Smelter factory from its current location at Lekhi Village here.  

The forum in its letter apprised the chief secretary that the factory which runs 24 hours a day has been emitting harmful smoke (hazardous for living beings) for many years and is causing immense ill effect to the health of people who live in and around the area, especially students.

About 90 percent of educational institutions viz Law College, Women’s College, B.Ed College, and numerous other government and private institutions are located in Lekhi village and Nirjuli. Similarly, most of the important business establishments and transport junctions are also located here and all the ones working and studying in these institutions and establishments are breathing in the poisonous smoke emitted from the factory. This will with time have serious effects on their health, the forum wrote in its letter.

It also added that as per latest inspection report, diseases like cancer, tuberculosis etc have rose to the level of 45 percent in the area as the factory is believed to be emitting carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and particulate pollutants containing heavy metals which are hazardous for any living being.    

Further opining that the shifting of factory may take time, the forum has appealed the chief secretary to shut it down at the earliest and has also threatened to approach the court of law if its demand is not met.

It is pertinent to mention here that the All Arunachal Pradesh Public Transport Federation (AAPPTF), led by its President Dobing Sonam had also recently submitted a representation to chief secretary demanding shutting down of the said factory. 

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Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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