Life has become a nightmare for the inhabitants of Paradip and its surrounding areas for a couple of weeks. With the onset of winter and subsequent blowing of autumnal northward wind filthy pollutants and stench from beverage factories, fertiliser plants and oil mills have snatched off the sleep from the eyes of the denizens of this industrial town.

The damaging impact of the air pollution is so self-evident that any lay outsider can feel choking affect once he or she enters the area which is accompanied by burning sensation in eyes, itching and skin infections of various kinds and repugnant odour from the factories in and around the town.

People living in Bhima Bhoi colony, Brundaban colony, JGI colony, Madhuban, lock Pada, Mundasahi, Sandhakuda slum area as well as town outskirts Nuabazar, Badapadia and Athrabanki localities complain of being forced to inhale unhealthy air due largely to the vagaries of the wind.

The locals complained of two types of gases_ ammonia and stench of wheat. The fertiliser plants of IFFCO and PPL emit ammonia gas during production and the beverage factory at Atharabanki generates filthy stench of wheat as it uses it as raw material. Moreover Cargil India, an edible oil factory located at Atharabanki too has been spewing thick oil smoke and dust posing serious pollution problems for the Tarenigada habitants. The problem has doubled with the blowing of the northward wind.

Locals said after establishment of fertiliser plants and other big industries, air pollution has been a perennial woe for them. But the situation worsens during winter when the northward wind blows from the north carrying dangerous pollutants from the factories.

Reports indicate that the existence of this air pollution is being felt during the evenings when the plants start emitting ammonia and other gases while the obnoxious wheat stench fills the days.

People from Paradipgarh, Udayabata, Nimidihi, Rangiagada, Nuagada, Chakradharpur, Pipala and Dochhaki villages alleged they felt chocked by thick black smoke and dust emission from a nearby carbon factory. The coal and iron ore transported to Paradip port is also generating fugitive dust. A layer of ash and dust several mm thick envelops vegetation in the areas, reports said.

The blooming tree leaves of winter are looking pale, burnt out and it is no different with the paddy plants and betel veins with animals and humans getting diseases with manifold health complaints. There has been no Government initiative so far to check this perennial trouble. However environmentalists like Sankha Nada Behera apprehend industrial growth may be at the cost of serious environment pollution. Needless to say a severe health disaster is on the offing, he added.

Official sources said they have no complaints of air pollution in Paradip caused by northward wind. If the situation reported turns to be true the pollution control board and the concerned factories would take needful action to check the pollution exceeding acceptable limits, opined Satyabrata Sahu, District Collector, Jagtsinghpur.