Public Hearing For NINL’s Expansion Project Concludes In Odisha’s Jajpur

Kalinganagar: The public hearing for environmental clearance of Nilachal Ispat Nigam Limited (NINL)’s proposed expansion concluded at JCD-NIMZ office in Kalinganagar of Odisha’s Jajpur district on Friday.

Organised by the State Pollution Control Board (SPCB), the hearing saw active participation from proponents, opponents, and stakeholders, including public representatives, intellectuals and local residents.

The session was chaired by Additional District Collector of Kalinganagar Sapan Kumar Nanda. Regional Officer of the State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) Jajpur, Madan Mohan Sahu was present.

NINL CFO Sanjeev Kumar Ghosh detailed on the plant’s proposed expansion plan, while MD and CEO Sudhir Kumar Mehta addressed public concerns.

The proposed expansion will increase NINL’s production capacity from 0.981 Million Tonne Per Annum (MTPA) to 9.5 MTPA without additional land requirements. The two-phased expansion plan includes state-of-the-art facilities such as raw material handling systems, a coke plant, sinter plant, blast furnace, steel melting shop, and rebar and wire rod mill.

Baseline environmental data collected from March to May 2024, covering air quality, water quality, noise, and soil conditions within a 10-km radius, has already been submitted to the SPCB for review.

Tata Steel Long Products Limited acquired NINL in July 2022 and achieved operational milestones swiftly. Within 100 days, the plant resumed operations, and its rated capacity was achieved within nine months.

Comprehensive upgrades included advanced pollution control systems such as Electrostatic Precipitators (ESPs), cyclone separators, dry fog systems, bag filters, and water sprinkling mechanisms.

To further minimise environmental impact, a scrubber-based gas cleaning plant was introduced to treat BOF gas. Continuous Environmental Monitoring Systems (CEMS) were installed to monitor air quality and emissions, alongside an Effluent Quality Monitoring System (EQMS) to ensure real-time evaluation of water discharge and Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) performance.

NINL also plans to implement additional environmental initiatives, including a Zero Effluent Discharge (ZED) system, a Fume Extraction Systems at Blast Furnace and SMS. These measures aim to ensure sustainable operations and maintain a cleaner environment for the plant and its surrounding areas.

As part of Tata Steel’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) efforts, the Tata Steel Foundation has initiated various socio-economic development programmes in the surrounding communities. These include projects focused on education, skills development, healthcare, clean drinking water, livelihoods, and sports.