The Jagatsinghpur district administration convened a meeting on Wednesday with villagers and PRI members over the proposed integrated steel plant and jetties by the Jindal Utkal Steel Works [JSW] group on the same location as the earlier Posco project site in Erasama coast near Paradip.
Collector Parul Patwari chaired the meeting in the presence of Water Resources and I&PR Minister Raghunandan Das, MP Dr Rajashree Mallick, SP Akhileshvar Singh, JSW CEO Ranjan Nayak.
Ranjan Nayak informed that several CSR works have been undertaken by the company in proposed project site villages in Dhinkia, Gadakujanga and Naugaon panchayats. Participants spoke of employment, rehabilitation and impact of pollution on the local community. The JSW clarified that jobs would be provided to the project-affected people, who would also be suitably compensated as per the Government R&R policy.
But sources said the project antagonists from Dhinkia skipped the meeting. Environmentalist Prafulla Samantra and Leftist leader Prashant Paikaray attended their protest meeting convened by Dhinkia Samiti member Debendra Swain.