Tension at Vedanta after liquid ash inundates paddy fields

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Jharsuguda: Tension gripped Vedanta aluminium plant in Jharsuguda district as villagers locked the main gate and staged a protest demanding compensation for crop loss after liquid ash inundated several acres of paddy fields at Katikela village here.
According to reports, the liquid ash from the plant’s pond no. 2, which collapsed around 9 pm on Monday with a breach of about 200 metres, has also started flowing into the village and Bheden river.
“The district collector has asked Revenue and Agriculture departments and Odisha State Pollution Control Board to conduct a joint probe into the incident and submit damage assessment report,” said Tehsildar, Jharsuguda, Golak Bihari Mangaraj.
Preliminary report suggests that around 90-100 acres of farmland have been affected, he added.