Prospects Of Alumina Refinery In Odisha’s Rayagada Brighten After 14 Yrs

Rayagada: The prospects of the proposed alumina refinery in the district, which has been hanging fire for the last 14 years, have brightened with the collector writing to the Odisha State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB) to hold public hearing on the project.

In his letter to the OSPCB, district collector Saroj Kumar Mishra has told to conduct the public hearing on the proposed alumina refinery of 3,000 million tonne capacity and 150-MW power plant at Kansariguda under Kashipur block on October 5.

The public hearing at the Utkalmani Gopabandhu High School ground should be held by adhering to the COVID protocols, the letter stated.

Though Hindalco of Aditya Birla group had acquired necessary land for the project 14 years back, it could not start the work due to various reasons. As the company did not initiate any step for the two plants despite chief minister’s direction last year, the local people displaced by the project threatened to resort to agitation and opposed Palli Sabha convened for the purpose.

However, the chief minister again issued the direction to start the project work on April 4 and Steel and Mines Minister assured of setting up the alumina refinery plant at Kansariguda. Acting on the chief minister’s order, the collector has written to the OSPCB for holding the public hearing on the proposed project.

If the project comes up at the proposed site, it would lead to economic upliftment of the people of Rayagada and Koraput districts, said Rayagada MLA Makarand Muduli.