The state water resource department has filed a FIR against the Hirakud smelter unit of Hindalco for its failure to check leakage of ash slurry from the captive power plant of the company into the nearby farm fields and canal.

The canal division junior engineer P K Patel of Sambalpur distributary has filed a case against the management of the company on the basis of section 430 of Indian Penal Code, which says wrongful diversion of industrial waste which disturbs irrigation projects is a punishable offense and attracts a jail term upto five years with financial penalty.