The Hindu Business Line : Public hearing on Jindal project in Vizianagaram likely in June

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Public hearing on Jindal project in Vizianagaram likely in June

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APMDC to undertake bauxite mining from Araku

The total land required for the project would be 1,300 acres, of which 920 acres would be assigned lands, 208 acres Government land and the rest private land.

Visakhapatnam April 23 The public hearing for the aluminium refinery project, to be set up at Srungavarapukota in Vizianagaram district by the Jindal group, is likely to be held sometime in June, according to Mr Sandip Gokhale, one of the directors of the Jindal South-west Aluminium Ltd.

Reviewing the progress of the project at a press meet here on Sunday night, Mr Gokhale said that earlier it was proposed to set up the refinery at Sabbavaram in Visakhapatnam district and even the public hearing had been completed.

"The price quoted by the revenue authorities for the land was too high, at Rs 20 lakh an acre, and we could not afford it. So, with the permission of the State Government, we have decided on the alternative location at Boddavara village in Srungavarapukota mandal in Vizianagaram district," he said.

Land acquisition

The total land required for the project would be 1,300 acres, of which 920 acres would be assigned lands, 208 acres Government land and the rest private land. Fifty-two families would be displaced and the number of farmers losing their land partially, or fully, would be 432, more than half of them being tribals, he said.

The land survey was carried out by the Vizianagaram district administration and the report was sent for the approval of the State Government.

"The environment study has been conducted by the Vimta Labs, Hyderabad. The draft environment impact assessment (EIA) has been submitted to the AP Pollution Control Board and we think the public hearing may be conducted some time in June," he said. He said the Andhra Pradesh Mineral Development Corporation (APMDC) would be extracting the bauxite ore from the Araku deposit in Visakhapatnam district and handing it over to the Jindal group.

"The APMDC will take care of the mining aspect and only after all clearances have been obtained for the mining, we will take up work on the 1.4 million tonnes per annum refinery project," he clarified.

Smelter unit

He said the aluminium smelter unit, however, would be set up elsewhere at a separate location and Khamman district was being considered. A captive power plant (600 MWs) would be taken up along with the smelter in the second phase. The total project cost would be Rs 9,000 crore and Alcan, of Canada, which was providing the technology, might also take equity participation.

Answering a question, he said 600-650 locals would get employment in the Vizianagaram project and "the Jindal group would strive for the all-round development of the region wherever we go. Our record at Bellary in Karnataka proves that."

Other projects

Referring to the other Jindal projects, he said the capacity of the steel plant at Bellary in Karnataka was being expanded from 3.8 million tonnes to 10 million tonnes.

"We have signed an agreement with the West Bengal Government for setting up a 10-million tonne steel plant at Midnapore, beginning with three million tonnes. We are taking up power projects in Rajasthan and Maharashtra. We are also setting up a cement plant in Karnataka, with limestone and steel slag," he added.

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