Jharsuguda: Nature and natural resources are suffering from what locals now call slow poison. In the name of development, industries especially Vedanta are polluting the soil, air, and water. Once celebrated as a hub of progress, Vedanta’s industrial boom becomes Jharsuguda’s environmental doom, leaving residents gasping under the weight of toxic dust and contaminated surroundings.
When the mega aluminium plant was established by Vedanta Alumina at Bhurkamunda in 2008, people hoped for prosperity and employment. However, the reality is starkly different. Locals now recount tragic stories of land loss, health deterioration, and frequent accidents in SH-10 that claim hundreds of lives every year. Many survivors live with permanent disabilities, dependent on others for basic needs.
The district’s once-green landscape is now dotted with factories and heavy vehicles. Every day, thousands of trucks move through Jharsuguda, transporting raw materials to and from the industrial sites. The stretch from Prasanna Panda Chowk to Biju Patnaik Chowk, Badmal has turned into Vedanta’s unofficial parking zone. Residents complain of rising air pollution and dust that worsens respiratory problems, while roads have become dangerous for pedestrians and bikers.
Particularly from Sarbahal to Badamal Chowk, the situation has worsened. This stretch has become an illegal parking site for heavy vehicles carrying materials for Vedanta. Locals call it a burning issue. They demand that “No Parking” signboards be installed along this route and that strict action be taken against the companies and drivers violating traffic and environmental rules. Despite repeated complaints to the administration, Vedanta’s local management remains unresponsive. Residents allege that the company has trapped Jharsuguda in a toxic pollution while hiding behind polished corporate publicity.
People allege that Vedanta and other factories have trapped Jharsuguda in a cycle of pollution and neglect. Despite numerous complaints to the administration, little has changed. “We are breathing poison while industries thrive,” said one local resident in frustration.
What was once hailed as industrial progress has now become a warning sign for unsustainable growth. Vedanta’s industrial boom becomes Jharsuguda’s environmental doom, exposing the hidden costs of unchecked industrialization. As toxic air, polluted water, and corporate apathy continue to haunt the district, the people of Jharsuguda are left to ask has development truly arrived, or has it simply destroyed what they once called home?
