At first glance, Jamkani, Kudopali, Chuwaliberna and Kantatikra villagers are no different from scores of other villages dotting Jharsuguda district. Try pumping out water from one of tube-wells and you will see why they stand apart: The water that gushes out of the mouth is black in color!

The villagers also experience cloudy over cast sky and thick layers of black dust settled over the trees. Reasons are not far behind to seek.

There is no study to assess the impact of the pollution till date.

To benefit industry, people are made to live in hell. Anyone using the polluted water shall invite various diseases in the near future, told an environmentalist.

The villages are located in close proximity to a polluting industrial unit, Global  Coal and Mining Private Limited (GCMPL) of Belpahar area which also has a coal washery of 1 million ton capacity unit.

The residents of Jamkani and Kantatikra located next to a GCMPL said a water nullah that is their primary source of water is useless today.

The villagers alleged the situation has only worsened over the years in absence of pollution control measures.

Spilled over coal on vast stretch of road has formed a thick coal dust layer on it. Resultantly, flying coal dust amid movement of heavy vehicles has turned to be most woeful.

Still startling is the fact that the consent of the villagers was never sought to set up the unit as cost of the project was allegedly kept bellow Rs 100 crore to immune the unit from mandatory statutory clearances.

Suriya Munda (65) claimed he along with four other villagers tried to meet the promoter of the unit to air their grievances, but was turned down with a warning of dire consequence.

While coal washery operators told this paper that there was a lot of pressure on them from the pollution control board to control the slurry discharge in particular  there is a reason to be cynical because in the last several years, such notices have been issued many times to the industries in the area; yet the problems seem to remain the same.

Meanwhile, OSPCB Regional Officer Niranjan Mallick said complaints of intolerable pollution have been received and an inquiry would be made to take necessary corrective measures.