Jindals do not see security threat in Jharkahand

Ranchi, July 30: Jindal South West (JSW), country's third largest steel manufacturer, will begin the process of land requisition for 9,000 acres by next month for its proposed steel plant with a capacity to produce one crore tonne per anum in Jharkhand.

The company has already identified Chandil in West Singbhum district for the proposed Rs 35,000 crore plant. The government has issued the demand note for 750 acres.

Announcing this at a press conference here last night, JSW joint Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer B N Singh also made it clear that the company, while deciding to set up the steel plant here also prioritised one important issue -- to wipe out the common people's apprehension regarding displacement and rebabilitation as they had experinced from Bokaro Steel Limited (BSL) and Heavy Engineering Corporation (HEC).

Keeping in mind the widespread public anger in the wake of the government's aggressive campaign for industrialisation, Mr Singh said he did not foresee any security threat to the company as they would take utmost care in promoting the living standard in the area where the plant would be set up adding about 5,000 direct employment opportunities would be created for the local youth.

Yesterday, a high-led company delegation led by Mr Singh had talk with Chief Secretary M K Mandal regarding the project.

The CEO told newspersons that the government showed positive attitude towards their requirement in terms of water and initial power supply adding the the matters relating to displacement and rehabilitation would be finalised soon.

Then only land requisition would follow, he said and hoped that four years after land was got the production could be started.

For Iron Ore they applied for Ghatkuri and Karampada. Mr Singh was confident that despite the presence of many big industries in the state, iron ore should not be a problem The company would set up a 900 MW captive power plant, he said addding they were also interested in setting up a 2000 MW thermal power station in the state.

Coming back to sensitive issue on displaced, he said they would see that the victims were not only taken care of but training and employment to the youth of the those families would be ensured.

He said about 32 villages comprising about 1,000 families would be affected and assured that the company had plans for the improving the living standard of the displaced.

UNI