UditVani, Jamshedpur : Heavy monsoon rains have wreaked havoc on the lives of farmers in Ulda village under Ghatshila block of East Singhbhum, with nearly 150 acres of paddy fields belonging to 39 farmers left completely destroyed.
Villagers allege that toxic water from slag dumping by Tata Pigments Pvt. Ltd. overflowed into their farmlands, wiping out the standing crops.
The Swarnarekha Vikas Samiti, Ulda, had earlier lodged a written complaint with the company management demanding immediate redressal.
Led by its president Rohini Singh, secretary Gaur Mohan Singh, and treasurer Laxman Singh, affected farmers also sought compensation for the losses.
The Indian Adivasi Bhumij Samaj, Galudih, submitted a memorandum to the East Singhbhum Deputy Commissioner urging intervention.
On Sunday, former Jharkhand Chief Minister Champai Soren visited the affected fields to hear the farmers’ grievances.
Women farmers, too, shared their anguish, stating that the ruined harvest was their only means to sustain families and fund children’s education.
“The loss will be compensated at all costs. We will speak to the company management and the government to ensure full relief is provided,” Soren assured the villagers.
Farmers, however, expressed both hope and anger. They pointed out that the issue of slag water damaging fields recurs every monsoon, and warned of agitation if a permanent solution is not implemented.
Tata Steel’s Response
Meanwhile, Tata Steel said it had taken note of media reports regarding crop loss due to alleged polluted water discharge. A joint team from the company’s Industrial By-Product Management Division (IBMD) and Environment Department visited the site, collecting soil and water samples for scientific analysis.
“Appropriate corrective measures will be taken based on the findings,” a Tata Steel spokesperson said, adding that the company remains committed to environmental protection and working responsibly with communities.
The company further highlighted that its Ulda unit, operating since 2012, has valid environmental clearance and annually submits compliance reports to the Jharkhand State Pollution Control Board. The unit processes about 1,125 tonnes of LD slag daily, using recycled water in cooling ponds. Tata Steel maintains that the system ensures zero emissions, no hazardous waste, and regular dust suppression and greenery drives within the plant premises.
Heavy Rains Blamed
Experts suggested that the situation this year worsened due to excessive rainfall, which caused both the plant’s tailing ponds and a nearby village pond to overflow, leading to water ingress into the fields.
Outsourced Operations
Sources said Tata Pigments has outsourced slag processing at Ulda to Roshan Enterprises, a vendor of Tata Steel, while slag transportation is managed by Tarapore Company.
As investigations continue, farmers await concrete relief. For them, the loss is not just of crops, but of their livelihoods, pushing them to the brink of survival.
