The Oversight Authority on Odisha Mineral Bearing Areas Development Corporation (OMBADC), after field inspections, expressed satisfaction over the projects taken up under the OMBADC and the District Mineral Fund (DMF) in the State.
An Oversight Authority meeting was held under the chairmanship of Justice AK Patnaik here wherein Chief Secretary AP Padhi outlined the issues for discussion and OMBADC CEO Uma Nanduri presented the administrative, financial and technical details of the proposed projects by various departments.
The authority sanctioned projects of worth Rs 8,906 crore for four districts namely Keonjhar, Sundargarh, Mayurbhanj and Jajpur and decided to complete the projects within the scheduled time so as to avoid the possibility of cost escalation.
The sanctioned projects included mega pipe water supply schemes, individual household water supply schemes, upgradation of infrastructure and quality in elementary and secondary education, development of infrastructure in the schools for ST and SC children, modernisation of ITI schools, upgradation of infrastructure in health institutions, livelihood activities through fishery activities, skill development of youths, water harvesting and recharge of ground water, improvement of water bodies, road connectivity for quick delivery of health services, installation of automatic air quality monitoring systems in four afore said districts.
Forest and Environment ACS Raj Kumar Sharma appraised that the total mining and mineral transport in Joda and Koida circles are well below the defined limit. The mineral transport from Odisha in the year 2017-18 was around 102 million tonne against NEERI recommendation of 129 million tonnes. For the year 2018-19 transport of around 153 million tonne of mineral has been recommended, informed Shrama.
State Pollution Control Board Member Debidatta Biswal said the actual pollution level is well below the threshold limit. The PM10 below 100 microgram per cubic meter and the level of PM2.5 is well below 60 microgram per cubic meter. Only at one point of transport junction near Bhadrasahi chhak the pollution level occasionally goes above prescribed limit.