Environment Conservation: JSW Utkal & Odisha’s Keonjhar Forest Dept Relocate 205 Grown Sal Trees

Jajpur: JSW Utkal Steel Limited (JUSL) has embarked on mission environment conservation, in association with Keonjhar Forest Division, Government of Odisha, whereby trees are being relocated from the proposed slurry pipeline way on NH-20.

On the Day 1 of the relocation, 205 decade-old Sal trees were transferred on Thursday. The first phase of tree relocation will be completed in a week’s time.

The relocation initiative for grown trees has been undertaken in a scientific manner to contain tree felling from unavoidable development projects which are underway.

Among those present on the inaugural day were HD Dhanraj, DFO Keonjhar; AK Satpathy, DFO Keonjhar Wild Life Division, Anandpur; Janak Nayak, Tahasildar, Ghatgaon; Subrat Kumar (IIC, Ghatgaon); Ashok Das, ACF, Keonjhar Forest Division; Ghanashyam Mahanta, ACF Keonjhar Forest Division; and Pravat Kumar Kumar (Range Officer, Ghatgaon).

JSW Steel Ltd’s Baswaraj Dalgade (GM Corporate Affairs) and Yugal Kishore Barik (Senior Manager) were also present.

JUSL is laying one of the world’s largest slurry pipeline system for transportation of iron ore fines from its proposed Grinding, De-Sliming Plants & Slurry Pumping Station at Gobardhanpur in Keonjhar district’s Barbil tahasil to the proposed Integrated Steel Plant at Paradeep, Jagatsinghpur.

As part of the process, grown Sal trees are being felled in the area identified by the Forest Department along the NH-215 (now N11-20), and relocated by the company.