The work on the Tata Steel project at Gopalpur, which was initially estimated at Rs 800 crore, is expected to start soon. Though the project had received environmental clearance last year for starting a rebar mill and pherochrom plant, it could not become operational due to want of Coastal Regulatory Zone (CRZ) clearance from the Union Ministry of Environment which the project has received now as disclosed by Project Senior Manager (Administration) Sasanka Sekhar Routroy.
Machines and equipments required for starting the rebar mill and pherochrom plant have been procured and lying in the project site, he said.
When asked about the employment avenues which the project would generate for the local people and the people who have lost their lands, Routroy said the project mostly would be machine-dependent instead of being labour-intensive as the employees cannot be relied upon for timely and optimal production. The project would go into production next year, he added.
IT may be recalled that with a view to establishing a steel project with an estimated production of 10 million tonnes, the Tatas had initiated land acquisition in the year 1995 and acquired more than 4,000 acres of both private and public lands under Chatrapur tehsil through IDCO and local administration. Villagers of Patrapur and Sidhigam were shifted to a rehabilitation colony in the year 1999. However, due to agitation by some local groups, the steel plant could not come up.
Then, the Tata Steel changed its plan from production of steel to rebar, pherochrom and desalination plants.
A section of the anti-steel plant agitators changed their mind in 2006 and demanded that the Tatas implement the original project. But by then, the company had completely changed its position by dropping the steel plant project and expanding its base plant at Jamshedpur.
Former MlA of Chhatrapur and former Assembly Deputy Speaker Rama Chandra Panda while cautiously welcoming the new project, said people have a high hope from the Tatas since the poor farmers of several villages have sacrificed their lands with high and legitimate expectations for getting jobs. However, the new plants are of more machine-intensive rather than labour-intensive which would give rise to deep resentment among the land oustees.
To avoid public anger, the Tatas have to ensure job rehabilitation of at least one member from each affected family either in its new establishment at Gopalpur or in its parent establishment at Jamshedpur in the company’s greater interests and those of the local people.