Rajesh had ‘secure’ life goals to survive until he saw the desperation to survive and need of justice all around him – in his country, community, even in his own family. As a young man, Rajesh had always dreamed of having a “secure job and secure earnings, with more than enough to survive.”  That all changed one day when he…

Rajesh Gupta

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Gurushree company in  Delari village, Raigarh, discharging contaminated water majorly causing water pollution and damaging agricultural land. 

Residents of Delari village, in Raigarh, Chhattisgarh, expressing concerns over the chemical industrial waste which is flowing untreated, choking people and the environment.  A company called Gurushree is discharging chemical water, which gets drained in the agricultural fields. 

“The biggest problem in the village at present is the Gurushree plant adjacent to the village, which is a Fero Venedium chemical plant. Any educated person would know how dangerous it is for human life, the environment and for the animals”, said Prakash Gupta, Delari Village. 

Chhattisgarh is offered by all kinds of minerals, like iron ore, tin, bauxite, diamonds, coal. It has around 18% of India’s total coal deposits, 20% of India’s iron ore and 35% of tin ore. Raigarh itself is a major producer of steel and iron ore as well as the cultural and industrial capital of Chhattisgarh. With the number of companies queueing up to set up factories in Raigarh it is enormous. In 2017, there were 50 projects were proposed to open. In addition, 28 companies for 188 projects worth Rs 61,494 crore, in the MOUs. Industries are built, takes away coal and minerals, and the people are left behind with industrial waste and pollution. Yet Raigarh has not appeared  in the Central Pollution Control Board's (CPCB) list of the most critically polluted areas in the country. 

In Delari village, the residents are facing problems because of the Gurushree Plant. The water flows from the company in the open fields in the village. This is concerning farmers too because the factory silt is burning the crops. “It flows into the Delari drain through the farmer’s land from Delari drain it will reach the aerodam, which would mean touching the Raigarh city and the people of Raigarh city are using this water!”, added Prakash. 

Owing to the large-scale contamination in the village with silt water in the fields, fly ash dumped on roadsides, and agricultural fields being drawn barren due to lack of char disposal. Our Community Correspondent, Rajesh Gupta, spoke to  Vinay Kumar, from Gurushree Industries, and asked about the materials which are being used in the industries. Initially, he refused to answer any questions, and further, he denied the fact that the trees are dying because of the factory silt which is being disposed of in the open fields. 

“There is this plant by the name of Gurushree Industries in Delari village.  There is a complaint of the release of contaminated water and foul gas from the plant. So we will investigate in a day or two, and take appropriate action”, said RK Sharma, District Transport Officer. 

Support the residents of Delari village, by sharing the issue with Yashwant Kumar, Raigarh District Collector of Raigarh, Chhattishgarh, at +91-7762222101, and urge him to take action.

Video is made by Community Correspondent Rajesh Gupta

Article by Grace Jolliffe, a Member of VV Editorial Team.