The Jindal Steel & Power ltd (JSPl) started survey and construction work at Balichandrapur boundary for its water pipeline on Friday amid stiff opposition by the villagers of Kankarei of Angul district.
The police detained some protesters opposing which people blocked the Angul-Chhendipada road. later, the police released the detained people and the vilagers withdrew the roadblock.
The JSPl is now trying to take the pipeline in another route. The company is setting up a 6.0-MTPA steel plant and a captive power plant. It has already invested over Rs 17,000 crore in the project. The first phase is almost ready.
Ensuring coal and iron ore for the plant is the key challenge for the JSPl. The iron ore mine is also a pending issue and is getting critical as it is very important for the operation of the plant. Execution of mining lease for the Utkal B1 coal block is pending for a very long time. Recently, the JSPl lost the Ramachandi coal block for its CTl project.
But presently, the important requirement of the plant is water connectivity. Completion of a 28.8-km long cross-country pipeline from the Samal barrage is a critical need. Out of this, only 3.16 km in Kankarai and Pirakhaman villages is not completed due to people’s protest.