Sukinda is a town in Jajpur district of Orissa which has abundance of chromite deposits, that is around 97% of India’s total deposits. (one of the largest open cast chromite ore mines in the world). this makes it among the third most-polluted place in the world followed by Vapi.
Type of Pollutants: Hexavalent chromium and other metals
Source of Pollution: Sukinda Chromite Mines is an old mine owned by OMC. The mining lease was granted over 936.22 hectares to the corporation in 1966, the main source of pollution is Chromite mines and processing.
Scope of the Problem: Around 12 mines operate in the area without proper environmental controls. Pollution caused by the mines is a major health hazard, these mines continue to operate without any environmental management plans and control. The town has over 30 million tons of waste rock which are spread over the surrounding areas and the Brahmani riverbanks. The mines discharge untreated water into the river resultant approx 70% of the surface water and 60% of the drinking water contains hexavalent chromium at more than double national and international standards and levels of over 20 times the standard have been recorded.
Health Hazard: Workers and nearby resident are exposed to contaminated dust and water, Tuberculosis, asthma and Gastrointestinal bleeding, are common ailments. Infertility, birth defects, and stillbirths and have also been reported. According to estimates 84.75% of deaths in the mining areas and 86.42% of deaths in the nearby industrial villages occurred due to chromite-mine related diseases. Villages within one kilometer of the mines were the worst affected, with over 24% of the population found to be suffering from pollution-induced diseases.
Clean-Up Status: Pollution in Sukinda is spread over a very large area and residents are affected by the chromium through different source. The Odisha government has gone on record saying: “It is unique, it is gigantic and it is beyond the means and purview of the [Odisha Pollution Control] Board to solve the problem.” Remedial plans remain lying on the paper with no decisive action to provide for effective health monitoring and abatement programs.
Officially no comprehensive health study has been carried out as yet at Sukinda by any Government agencies, however the results of different surveys conducted by non-governmental organizations are enough to alarm the Government about the worst situation because these studies have reported acute health problems due to chromium contamination of the whole ecosystem, the CAG report is more specific: “The valley has been witnessing hexavalent chromium pollution in its air, land and water due to 12 operating mines.” Significantly, around thirteen mines in the area have no ‘environment management plan’ to operate further… The government should wake up from deep slumber and take urgent call on this..
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