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Pratim Ranjan Bose

The plant requires 30 million gallons in the initial stages

Kolkata , Nov. 18

After land, water and forests have become problematic areas for the West Bengal Commerce and Industry Department in aiding the establishment of steel and power plants.

The project in question is Jindal Steel's Rs 10,000-crore steel plant with initial capacity of four million tonnes, to be expanded to 10 mt in due course.

Jindal Steel recently sought 5,000 acres in West Midnapore for setting up the plant. Additional land is being sought in Birbhum district for setting up a Rs 4,000-crore captive power plant.

Initially, the company preferred a location at Guptamani in West Midnapore.

However, when a high-profile team led by the State Commerce and Industry Minister and Jindal officials went on a detailed survey, it was revealed that there were restrictions over construction due to proximity to an IAF base.

"As if that were not enough, the land was found close to a location where Air Force sorties practice bombing," said a State official.

Jindal officials immediately zeroed in on the alternative location near Salboni, also in the same district.

Though a large part of the district comprises barren or forest land, the choice of the site placed before the State officials the next hurdle: Water.

The project requires 30 million gallons of water in the initial stages. The requirement would go up to 70 million gallons when the capacity expands to 10 million tonnes.

Apart from the fact that all the rivers in the region are rain-fed, the problem is compounded by the fact that Subarnarekha, which is closer to the site and is a major river of the region, is an inter-State issue.

"Any proposal to use water from the Subarnarekha needs concurrence of the Jharkhand and Orissa Governments and is a long-drawn, if not controversial, issue," the official said. Effort is now on to explore possibility of sourcing water from other rivers such as Kangsabati. "We will definitely find an way out, but there could be substantial cost involvement," the official said.

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