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Planting risk

the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (kspcb) has issued a show cause notice to Kundil Sponge Iron Limited for beginning work on its plant at Londa in Belgaum district without obtaining an environmental clearance from the state government's ministry of environment, forest and ecology. Following the kspcb notice, Belgaum deputy commissioner also ordered the suspension of construction activity at the plant. But despite both notices, work on the plant reportedly continues.

Also, kspcb's stance does little to address the concerns of the people of Khanapur taluk regarding the construction of a sponge iron plant with a capacity of 60,000 tonnes per annum within 25 kilometres (km) of the Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary. Belgaum-based environmental organisation Paryavani has filed a public interest litigation in the Karnataka High court, arguing that the matter requires clearance from the Union ministry of environment and forests (m o ef). The rules of Karnataka's Department of Forest, Environment and Ecology also necessitate central clearance for industrial plants within 25 km of a sanctuary or a reserve and within 50 km of an inter-state boundary. Kundil's plant site is surrounded on three sides by the Belgaum

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