Cement factory pollution pesters Khrew; locals take to roads

Demanding an end to pollution from cement factories and illegal mining in the area, hundreds of residents of Khrew in Pulwama district today continued their protest and strike for third consecutive day.

The residents took to streets and staged a sit-in on the main road near the cement factories. They protested against the factory owners and demanded installation of pollution control devices. They were also demanding end to illegal mining and deforestation near the factories.

“The residents of Khrew, Babapora, Shaar, Zantrag, Pokhribal, Bathen, Nagender and Wuyen area have been suffering immensely for last many years due to the pollution by the cement factories. But no one is listening to us,” Aadil Bhat, chairman civil society Khrew, said.

“Our health, roads, agriculture, horticulture have suffered due to the dust emanating from the cement factories,” he said. “The wild life area and Dachigaam sanctuary is also affected by the dust.”

“As we have lost all hopes on closer of the factories, now we are demanding installation of pollution control devices in the factories,” the locals said.

“There are seven cement factories operating in the area and only five of them have mining lease,” they said.

“The factory owners were supposed to spend two percent of project cost on the safety and welfare of the local people but not a single factory owner is doing that,” they said.

The locals warned that they will continue their protests until their demands are accepted.

When contacted, Member Secretary JK State Pollution Control Board, Javed Iqbal Panzoo, assured quick action, saying, “We will send a team to the area to verify about the complaints by the people. If there is any kind of illegal work or any illegal mining, stern action will be taken against the involved factory owners. We will not even hesitate to close down such factories.”