The one-time summer getaway of the rich and famous of Bengal is today ruing its transformation into a Maoist stronghold, the gnawing bitterness aggravated by the Centre giving it the short shrift while choosing districts for a pilot project to kick-start development and give the campaign against extremism a social face.
Giridih, June 19: The villagers of Giridih are firm. They will not allow construction of any sponge iron unit in the district as past experience has shown that industrialists do nothing to check the pollution caused by the plants.
Giridih, June 15: Villagers in Mohanpur on the outskirts of the town today opposed the new project of Swati Sponge there on pollution ground.
At the first mass-level hearing on the upcoming sponge iron plant, the residents also criticised the role of the state pollution control board on the issue.
Giridih, June 14: After the district administration gave into public protests and scrapped a sponge iron plant project in Udanabad, it is now an NGO of Dhanbad that has joined the war against pollution caused by these units.
Giridih, June 8: This is probably a first in the history of Giridih.
Giving into public protests, the local administration today stalled the construction of a sponge iron unit by Shivam Group in Udnabad on pollution grounds. It also promised the villagers that no clearance would be given to any such plant in the future without a public hearing.
Giridih, May 18: They are political foes, but pollution friends.
Putting behind the Lok Sabha election results, BJP and JMM have come together to voice concern over the rising level of pollution in the district. Leaders of both the parties today drew the attention of Giridih deputy commissioner Vandana Dadel to the menace.
