Public hearing held successfully for JSW’s Narayanposhi mine

By Payal Banerjee

Koira (Sundergarh/Odisha), May 24: Residents of villages like Harischandrapur, Koira, Kashira and Kusumdihi under Koira tehsil unanimously supported JSW Steel during the public hearing conducted to further environment clearance for the capacity expansion of Narayanposhi iron and manganese ore mine.

JSW is planning to increase its iron ore production capacity with total excavation of 14.216 MTPA (ROM 10 MTPA + OB 4.216 MTPA) and manganese ore with total excavation of 0.259 MTPA (ROM 0.036 MTPA + OB 0.223 MTPA). The company will also set up central processing unit (CPU) of 2000 TPH, 6 MTPA of grinding and beneficiation plant for mineral processing and slurry pumping station.

The new set up will transport iron ore concentrate in mine lease area of 347.008 ha (as per DGPS) /349.254 ha (as per ROR) in Harischandrapur, Koira, Kashira, Kusumdihi and Kathamala RF villages under Koira Tehsil of Sundergarh District.

The public hearing was organized by the State Pollution Control Board (SPCB), Rourkela and Sundergarh District Administration. Close to 2000 villagers attended the public hearing and over 50 persons expressed their opinions in the presence of Odisha government officials.

Sundergarh ADM Shiv Shankar Toppo and Rourkela SPCB RO BB Dash were present to facilitate the public consultation.In addition, public representatives like Bonei MLA Laxman Munda, two ex-MLAs JanardhanDehury and Bhimsen Choudhury, Koira (Ka) ZillaParishadSushila Munda, Koira (Kha) ZillaParishad Ashok Naik, KoiraSarpanchTunuDehury and Koira Block Chairman Suresh Naik were also present at the hearing.

In their demands, villagers asked the company to give priority on employment generation, SHG group empowerment, healthcare facilities, road development and safe drinking water services. They also urged for school bus management and sowing machines’ distribution.

JSW Steel Mines Operation Head (Odisha) Biswaranjan Kumar Padhi thanked all villagers and public representatives for attending the event. Addressing the local concerns, Padhi said, “We have noted all the demands and we will attempt to resolve them in a phased manner. Notable, the company has always been focusing on peripheral development. The JSW Foundation is actively engaged in executing the development plans. The foundation has already installed solar street lights and organisedhealth camps to address health-related issues and it will continue to do that.”

Padhi also stated that the project would create direct and indirect employment opportunities for around 1000 local people.