The Birankeswar Silpanchala Khyatigrasta Praja Sangha, the apex body of the project-affected families of the JSPl’s expansion project in Angul district, at a Press meet on Wednesday, offered to participate in a bipartite discussion with the district administration for land acquisition for the proposed 4-MTPA second phase expansion of the JSPl’s integrated steel project at Chhendipada.
Praja Sangha president loknath Pradhan and secretary Sanatan Sahu said the company must come forward to fulfil the demands on compensation, employment and social security before going for the expansion. The faulty socioeconomic survey of the affected people must be corrected and the issues on water use must be addressed.
They demanded direct employment of the affected people instead of in sister organisations of the company. The district administration had recently called a consultative meeting with the representatives of some affected families, where Praja Sangha leaders remained absent alleging non-fulfilment of their earlier demands.
However, the district administration while disapproving such boycott of the meeting urged for responsible and peaceful industrialisation. The JSPl has completed its 2-MTPA steel plant along with a 810-MW power plant. The company is making all its efforts for its ambitious second-phase expansion for a 4-MTPA steel plant.