Seven Burned Alive Over Dust Pollution In India
Taking environmental outrage to a terrifying new level, protesters in eastern India are accused of killing seven people by burning them alive over dust and noise pollution. Police allege a number of people protesting over dust and noise pollution from a local stone crushing plant were responsible for the horrific massacre. The dead included three owners of the plant, and four workers.
The victims were caught-up in an armed outburst that broke out in the remote Bandaguda village in the Indian state of Orissa.
The violence erupted as the seven outnumbered victims tried to defend the plant from the intruding protesters. Their attempt to protect the plant led to their untimely demise, as they were locked in a break room near the plant where the protesters then set them afire.
Killed Over Dust Pollution?
25 Km belt conveyor carrying stone from the mine to the crushing plant runs through the Orissa State in India
The plant which is located in the remote village of Bandaguda in the eastern Indian state of Orissa has been a source of controversy for some time. The site which is located about 250 miles (400 kilometers) from the state capital of Bhubaneswar, has been causing tensions to build since it began operations over a year ago.
Dust Pollution: The outrage of local residents over noise and dust pollution from this stone stone crushing plant in the east Indian state of Orissa led to the horrific murder of seven employees by a vicious mob.
Nearby residents charge the plant, which by crushing stone creates aggregate used in the manufacture of various building materials such as cement, is a major source of noise and dust pollution.
In addition, workers have accused plant management of not paying them for work on time, or in full.
This kind of reaction is becoming more and more common across India, as the local populace has been goaded by a lack of pollution control policies into demonstrating against similar plants.
However, with India’s recent economic growth, the total amount of these plants is being fueled by the increased demand for building supplies.
While this may be an extreme example, it demonstrates the degree to which environmental contamination, in this instance in the form of dust pollution from a aggregate plant, can affect surrounding residents. In this case it was the local populace that was so inflamed with rage that they then decided to extended it in a tragically literal way to the seven poor souls whom they deemed responsible.