Factory shut after pollution protest at Hooghly’s Haripal

HARIPAL: A vax-setting factory at Hooghly’s Haripal was shut on Thursday after 200 people protested against growing air pollution due to the factory.
Locals complained of breathlessness, nausea, cough and other ailments. They alleged that smoke from the factory not only polluted the air around Naikhal but also the area adjoining Borgachia.
Locals further alleged that metal sheets are melted inside the factory with acid, which is used for casting work.The factory employed 50 people.
The protesters blocked the Kolkata-Arambagh state highway on Wednesday, demanding action against the factory. Three people were injured after cops resorted to lathi-charge to disperse the protesters.
Iman Kalyan Santra, a teacher, said: “ “Cops asked us to hold a discussion with the administration at the Haripal BDO office. Accordingly, we went there on Thursday morning.
Haripal BDO Tapan Haldar, additional SP Raj Narayan Mukherjee, factory owner Bikash Das and a delegation of locals met.”
When the administration asked Das to show them papers in order to run the factory, he said he would show the papers later. The BDO and others then asked him to keep the factory shut till he submits the papers. Das said: “I will not be able to run the factory in the face of such resistance.”
Haldar said: “We will examine the papers submitted by the owner. The factory will remain shut till then.”