Paradeep Chemical & Fertilizer Industry

Location:

Orissa, India

Region:

South Asia,

Pollutants:

Sulfur Dioxide, Particulates, Chemicals

Source:

Chemical Manufacturing

Transmission:

water, soil, air

Potentially affected people:

>100,000

The problem

Oswal Chemical and Fertilizer Ltd (OCFL) was set up in 1999 just five kilometers from the deep-sea harbor in the port town of Paradeep in Orissa. OCFL is a Rs 2,000-crore fertilizer plant, producing 2 million tons of Di Ammonia Phosphate (DAP) fertilizer per annum, 7,000 TPD of sulfuric acid and 2,650 TPD of Phosphoric acid – one of the largest producers in India.

Since production began in April 1999, OCFL has faced a host of complaints and agitation from local people over water and air pollution. It has a pollution lawsuit pending against it in the Orissa High Court. There were allegations of leakages of ammonia from the industry on May 24, 2000, November 11, 2000 and September 22, 2003. The industry was inspected several times by the Orissa State Pollution Control Board who observed that the unit was not complying with the environmental stipulations and discharging untreated wastewater to the nearby creek and the Mahanadi.

Health Impact

Bronchial problems, skin diseases, kidney damage, irritation to the eyes and respiratory system are some of the common ailments suffered by people living near the industry.

A major gas leak in 2000 from the surface of the ammonia plant at OCFL caused as many as 10,000 people in nearby areas to suffer suffocation, cough and eye irritation. Some of the affected areas were Atharbanki, Ghanghalia, Brundaban Colony and Oswal premises.