Public Hearing For Jindal Steel Odisha’s Angul Unit Completed; Villagers Support Project

Angul: The public hearing meeting to expand Jindal Steel Odisha’s integrated steel plant by 19.2 MTPA was completed at Sabhaghar Hall here on Wednesday.

More than 600 people from affected villages of the proposed project participated in the hearing and expressed their support for the expansion plan.

Angul ADM Rajanikant Swain presided over the meeting, while Regional Officer of State Pollution Control Board Dr Anup Mallik conducted the proceedings. Among others present were Angul Sub-Collector Baitura Deep and Angul LAO Ishani Panda.

Once expansion work is completed, the capacity of JSP’s wholly-owned subsidiary’s facility at Angul will be 25.2 MTPA, making it the world’s largest steel plant at single location.

JSP’s Head (environment) Alok Sahu informed the villagers about the environmental implications of the project and mitigation measures to be adopted by the company for maintaining a balanced ecology.

He said the company will invest Rs 1,19,952 crore for the expansion project, which will generate 9400 direct employment including unskilled, semi-skilled from local areas and skilled personnel from local areas and outside.

It will also lead to thousands of indirect employment and multiple business opportunities.

With a plantation of 7.7 lakh trees, about 35% of total plant area will be covered under greenbelt and additional canopy coverage will be created with massive plantation in and around the plant premises.

The plant will have a complete Zero Effluent Discharge system, in which Industrial Effluent and water will be recycled and reused. All environmental components will be routinely monitored, as per law of the land.

Welcoming the expansion project, villagers present at the meeting demanded more employment for local people, and more such sustainable community development programmers in periphery villages.

Company officials said that a multi-speciality hospital will soon be established by JSP Foundation, the social arm of the Jindal Steel & Power.