Red mud is the byproduct
of refining bauxite. The disposal of red mud is commonly down in ponds or
containment pools. Problem arise is when a ponds fails and the redmud is
released in a flood to the surrounding community. Here is a recent incident.
A red mud pond constructed
by aluminium company at its (location omitted) facility collapsed on one day in
September.
The breach has triggered
flooding, inundating hectares of agricultural land in three surrounding areas.
The affected areas are now facing a flood-like situation, with farmlands
swamped by red mud.
According to reports, the
incident occurred early this morning around 3 a.m. Affected farmers and locals
fear that the red mud, a byproduct of the aluminium refining process, contains
toxic substances that could pose significant health risks and damage the
productivity of their lands.
Local residents alleged
that there has been negligence in maintaining the facility by Vedanta which led
to its collapse. They allege that improper construction and inadequate
upkeep of the infrastructure caused the accident. Locals are also questioning
why the facility was built in such an unsafe manner, especially given its
proximity to human settlement.
Affected locals have
gathered at the alumina refinery to protest and seek compensation for their
losses.
Aluminium company
responds
Responding to the
incident, aluminium company said, "Extreme weather caused elevated water
levels and pressure in the facility’s catchment area, which led to the breach.
Company officials immediately informed the state administration and mobilised
its teams to manage the situation and minimise any impact."
In a press note released
on Monday, the company said "While no injuries or loss of livestock have
been reported so far, the overflow of water has impacted agricultural areas.
Vedanta Aluminium has initiated immediate containment and mitigation measures,
working closely with the administration and local communities in the areas that
have been affected."
We pray for the
local communities and their residents. We pray that no residents were injured
and killed, and all of the communities can be made right by the aluminium
company.
Every incident involving a red mud pond failure result in the denial of a permit(s) to expand a red mud pond somewhere in the industry. The design and construction of red mud ponds needs to take into worst case weather
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