Public hearing for Hindalco FRP expansion held successfully

By Adyasha Mohanty

Sambalpur, March 9: The much-awaited public hearing for the expansion of Hindalco’s Flat Rolled Products (FRP) unit at Hirakud — a key facility of the Aditya Birla Group — was successfully conducted on Wednesday.

A large number of residents attended the hearing and expressed their support for the proposed project, hoping it would generate more local employment and spur socio-economic development in the area.

“Hindalco has provided jobs to many people in Hirakud and across western Odisha. We are hopeful that this expansion will create even more opportunities for the local youth,” said Mamata Nanda, a resident of Christian Pada and member of the Small Development Association (SDA). “Around 350 families from our locality will directly benefit from the FRP expansion,” she added.

Sambalpur ADM U.K. Raj, who presided over the hearing, said the proceedings were conducted “in a transparent and fair manner as per government norms.” He reiterated that the district administration “does not encourage any kind of irregularity.”

According to the project proposal, Hirakud FRP plans to expand its existing capacity from 1.35 lakh tonnes per annum (TPA) of Hot Rolled Coil (HRC) and Cold Rolled Coil (CRC) to 5.85 lakh TPA of HRC, including the existing 1.35 lakh TPA CRC, at Jamda and Jamda (Nimpali) villages in Sambalpur district.

Company officials stated that since the proposed expansion involves only modifications within the existing FRP plant, there will be no significant adverse environmental impact. Adequate mitigation measures will be undertaken to ensure emission levels remain within prescribed norms. The project will follow sustainable practices and is expected to contribute to the overall growth of the surrounding areas through increased indirect employment, ancillary development, and infrastructure improvements.

With an investment outlay of around Rs 1,500 crore, the expansion is projected to create substantial direct and indirect employment opportunities in the region. “Preference will be given to local candidates based on their eligibility,” company sources said.

Additionally, the project is expected to open up new business opportunities for local entrepreneurs in areas such as raw material transport, product handling, and ancillary services. The expansion will also boost revenue generation for both the state and central governments, officials added.

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