East Siang district residents in Arunachal Pradesh have pledged to keep up their protests against a silicon factory in the Niglok Industrial Growth Centre (IGC), claiming that the state government has neglected to address issues related to water and air pollution. Villagers demonstrated in front of the Ruksin Additional Deputy Commissioner’s (ADC) office on Monday, joined by representatives of the IGC Pollution-Affected People’s Forum. They sent the government a reminder memo during the protest, threatening to escalate their action by going on an indefinite hunger strike if their demands were not satisfied. The demonstrators are calling for the firm to move from its present site.Earlier in mid-January, the local MLA and MPs, along with East Siang district administration officials, met with the protesting peasants. The leaders had advised them to halt their demonstration while they awaited the Central Pollution Control Board’s (CPCB) findings. Additionally, the public representatives had promised to take the necessary steps to mitigate pollution.
Nevertheless, the villagers claimed that these guarantees did not persuade them. They claimed that the authorities had not put in place any adequate mitigation scheme to regulate emissions from the silicon production, which they claim is posing major health risks, despite repeated appeals. The demonstrators also claimed that Aether Alloys LLP’s business was to blame for the nearby water and air pollution.They reaffirmed their strong objection to the industry’s ongoing operation at the current location. In the meantime, the National Green Tribunal’s (NGT) Eastern Zone Bench in Kolkata has taken suo motu cognizance of the purported contamination from the silicon factory at Niglok IGC. Hearings in the case were previously set for November 18 of last year and January 23 of this year by the tribunal.
