The pipeline project of JSW along NH-520 to its slurry plant was opposed in the 5th Panchayat Samiti (PS) meeting of Joda held on Wednesday.
While explaining about the project, the company's representative Prasanta Kumar Prusty told that JSW wants to set up a slurry plant by investing around Rs 10,000 crore at Gobardhapur village of Deojhar GP under Joda block of Keonjhar district. The product of the plant to would be sent to its steel plant at Paradip through a pipeline. But first of all, the company wants to set up a pipeline to draw water from the Baitarani river to its slurry plant and requested all the PRI members like Sarpanches and PS and Zila Parishad Members to approve the same and extend their cooperation in future so that the company can start the project work very soon.
However, ZP Member Basudev Naik said that local people have no objection for huge investment in the district; but if more iron dust is allowed to be carried through pipeline then thousands of drivers and owners engaged in carrying iron ore by lorries would be thrown out of jobs and family members depending upon them would be put to much hardship. He also criticised the CSR policies of the companies.
Similarly, the District Planning Board Chairman’s representative Sushanta Kumar Kar objected to the project saying that the JSW should set up a steel plant in Keonjhar instead of at Paradip so that there can be more development in the district. Deojhar Sarpanch Mangal Munda also objected to the project.
However, local BDO Khirod Kumar Behera intervened and kept the matter pending for discussion in the next meeting.
Other important problems like electrical, Anganwadi and education were also discussed in the meeting. The BDO advised the concerned officials to come prepared with details so that it would be easy to redress the grievances of the common man; otherwise, he would take action against the careless officer as deemed fit.
Block Chairperson Sukumaree Dehury presided over the meeting. Anseikala Sarpanch Dilip Kumar Naik and ZP M ember Jayanti Banra also participated in the discussions.