MINING AND INDUSTRIALISATION
UPDATE, ORISSA
ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION ON
INDUSTRIES AND MINING IN ORISSA
LIST OF CONTENTS
Editorial 1 what we see in many tribal areas more
Cartoon Space 2-3
News 4- 20
Public Hearings Notices 21
Environmental Clearance 22
Forest Clearance 23
About EPG 24
EDITORIAL
The mammoth Mining Scam of 4, 500 Crore that
has surfaced recently is like the opening of a
Pandora’s Box. It is the reason why the people of
Orissa are poorest in a state which is bestowed
with huge natural resources. The state govt. has
failed to accept the challenge by not taking quick
and strong actions to nab the real big heads
involved in the scam, but has also adopted a
delaying tactics by ordering a departmental
inquiry to be conducted by the Secretary of
Ministry of Mines, who has also failed to know
what is happening just below his nose.
Suspending few officials is nothing but a very
tactful drama simply enacted to fool the people.
They know very well that after few months
people will forget the issue. Again these
suspended officials will get back to their place.
Their dirty game will restart again. It is not that
the top officials did not know any thing as to
what is going on at Keonjhar in the name of
mining. Besides Mining department, Forest
department is also partner to this crime. Who can
believe them that thirty six hectares of forest
land is used for illegal mining where large scale
activities of men, machinery, materials and
transportation is going on round the clock. But
August-Sept- 2009
when a poor tribal take a bamboo to weave
baskets, he is booked within no time. This is
particularly in Orissa.
All the players in mining business make huge
money. But when it comes to pay a small
fraction of it as the royalty to the state, those
mining companies play gimmicks to deprive the
state of its legitimate share. They have huge
money that runs in several crores in contesting
elections, to offer diamond studded gold crown
to lord Balaji at Tirupati that had made national
news but when it comes to pay even 10% of the
market price as royalty, they shed crocodile
tears. These crocodiles do not speak a word on
tribals this time despite they know that the tribals
whom they have pushed out of their lands are
suffering uncertain future. Their peaceful abode
that was lush green is now wearing a look of
environmentally degraded area, roads totally
broken with pits of all the sizes, no safe drinking
water, elephant menace etc. But no body speaks
a word about them. We also need to look at the
speed with which state is anxious to ink one
MoU after another that has a captive mining tag.
In the name of development, in the name of
providing jobs, all that mineral wealth is allowed
to be looted to those faces who have nothing to
do with the state or its people but to make money
at a jet speed. . When people in power join hands
with mineral mafias, operating legally or
illegally, such scam are bound to happen as has
been surfaced recently. In this time of mega
crisis we people have an important role to play
for the sake of our state. This is also the test for
the Media that they are also pro active and not
the puppets in the hands of any one to hide the
facts from coming out. It is now up to the people
of the state to see how they take to the streets to
unveil the real face of this so called clean state
government.
Editor
1
CARTOON SPACE

2
3
 News
Novel method to detect
pollution in sponge iron units
The Hindu, 05 August, 2009
BHUBANESWAR: A novel method with
the potential to detect pollution in sponge
iron plants in the State seems to have no
takers. And Orissa State Pollution Control
Board (OSPCB) has been finding it difficult
to convince industry owners in this regard.
Although industrial units swear by their
commitments to check pollution, they
reportedly show little interest in the
‘Interlocking System’, a software-based
technology, which could not only raise
alarm on pollution being caused by a sponge
iron unit but also bring the production
process to a grinding halt. The technology
can prevent bypassing of untreated flue gas
through emergency cap of the rotary kiln of
the sponge iron plant, malfunctioning of
Electro Static Precipitators or any other
pollution control device attached to kiln.
According to Orissa Pollution Control Board
sources, the interlocking system would
ensure automatic stoppage of raw material
feed conveyor to the kiln-based on real time
data from the plant control system in case of
any non-compliance is reported. The non-
compliance report is generated by the
software and displayed on the computer
monitor for information of the plant operator
as well as recording in computer server as
back up data and later it can be as legal
evidence, sources said. The system was first
mooted in neighbouring West Bengal. After
receiving more number of public complaints
and high air potentiality of the sponge iron
units, West Bengal Pollution Control Board
decided to develop such interlocking system
with the help of Tata Consultancy Services
to eliminate the human factor in operation of
pollution control devices and ensure
continuous operation of ESP, else to stop
operation of kiln. A delegation of OSPCB
that visited West Bengal had found the
technology effective. Even OSPCB had
floated tender for installation of the
technology in few sponge iron units.
However, sources said, sponge iron units
were hesitant to adopt the technology since
it would have cost around Rs. 8 lakh per one
interlocking system. At a time when Orissa
State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB) has
gone on slapping show-cause notices to
polluting sponge iron plants during past five
years, the technology could have provided
the opportunity to monitor pollution sitting
at a distance. During past five years, 137
show-cause notices were slapped on
‘polluting’ sponge iron units. But pollution
goes unabated. With low manpower strength
to monitor pollution in the State, the
technology could have proved handy for the
OSPCB. As many as 107 sponge iron units
operate in the State with 244 kilns and
33,225 tonnes per day installed production
capacity. It is learnt that the OSPCB too did
not show the resolve to make it mandatory
for all sponge iron units.
Sea erosion threat: villagers
yet to be rehabilitated
The Hindu, 06 August, 2009
BERHAMPUR: The inhabitants of
Podampeta village in Ganjam district, who
are under the threat of severe sea erosion,
are yet to rehabilitated despite efforts since
past two years. Continuing coastal erosion
since past two years has brought the
coastline too close to this fishermen’s
village. The sarpanch of the area, Dilip
Chhatei, says during the high tides on full
moon and new moon days, the inhabitants of
4
the village live under the threat of
submergence. They are unable to leave their
houses and village as the alternative spot for
their rehabilitation is yet to be sorted out.
The village near Kantiagada under Ganjam
block is inhabited by around 300 families.
The festivals like Rakhi Purnima that
coincided with the full moon are no more
festive in the village as they think it may be
the last day of their village. On Wednesday
evening a group of officials, including the
local Block Development Officer (BDO), R.
Singh, reached the village to camp for the
night as a major high tide is expected during
the night. Some decades ago, sea was almost
one km away from the village. Now they do
not have a proper coast to prepare dry fish or
to park their boats, says D. Jogendra of the
village. The panicked inhabitants of
Podampeta have been demanding
rehabilitation. But despite efforts since past
two years the administration has not been
able to earmark an alternative site for
rehabilitation. Two weeks ago,
administrative officials made a survey of
three alternative sites. The inhabitants of
Podampeta want to be rehabilitated near the
sea coast. According to the sarpanch, the
problem for their rehabilitation is that the
government land on which the Podampeta
inhabitants are ready to get rehabilitated is
now under the possession of other people,
who do not want to vacate it. One such patch
is located at the border of Khallikote and
Chatrapur tehsils. It is now being used as a
village fair ground for the nearby villagers.
The Podampeta inhabitants are ready to get
rehabilitated on government land near the
Aleswar temple, which is again under illegal
possession of others.
Garbage row gets another
deadline
The Statesman
Cuttack, Aug. 8: Orissa High Court has set a
fresh deadline of 24 days for the
Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation
(BMC) to phase out multiple garbage
dumping yards within the city and to dispose
of all solid waste at Bhuasuni on the city’s
outskirts. A division bench of judges
Laxmikanta Mohapatra and Indrajeet
Mohanty directed the BMC for making the
“waste to energy power project” at Bhuasuni
fully functional and close all temporary
dumping yards by August 31. The court
issued the order yesterday after going
through affidavits submitted by the state
government and the BMC, making identical
claims that the process to discontinue
multiple garbage dumping and enable solid
waste disposal at Bhuasuni was underway in
a phased manner. The high court has been
pressing for adoption of a single-point
garbage disposal system by the BMC since
August 2007, while monitoring solid waste
disposal in Bhubaneswar as part of a PIL.
About 61.41 acres of vacant land at
Bhuasuni under Bhubaneswar tehsil had
been allotted by the government for the
single-point dumping yard vis-à-vis waste to
energy power project in February 2008. The
BMC, however, has been disposing of
nearly 450 tonne garbage at seven dumping
yards located within the city daily. The court
fixed September 4 as the date for the next
hearing and further directed the state
government, Cuttack Municipal Corporation
and the BMC to file affidavits by then
giving a status report on steps taken by them
to implement the ban on the use of recycled
polythene bags in the state. The court is
monitoring solid waste management in
Cuttack and Bhubaneswar as part of a PIL
filed by advocate S.N. Panda and unchecked
use of recycled polythene as part of PIL
filed by the Orissa Federation of
Consumers’ Organisation. The Orissa
government had imposed a ban on “sale,
import or store of non-biodegradable
polythene carry bag” (less than 20-micron
thick with effect from January 26, 2004), but
had not followed it up with a ban on
recycled polythene. The government had
also ordered a ban on the non-biodegradable
product on April 24, 2008. While there was
unabated manufacturing and use of
polythene bags despite a ban on it, the
government lacked sincerity in
5
implementation of the ban. Besides, the
CMC and BMC had achieved nothing
tangible even after empowering them with
power to enforce the ban, it was pointed out
to the court.
Vigilance report on mining
The Hindu, 11 August, 2009
BHUBANESWAR: The Vigilance
Department has submitted a preliminary
report to the State government on illegal
mining activities in Keonjhar district.
Among other things, the vigilance sleuths
have found that a private company was
involved in illegal mining of manganese for
the past two years. The State government
ordered a vigilance probe into the matter
after the illegal mining issue was raised in
the State Assembly last month.
Union Minister says no need
for revision of royalty on coal
The Hindu, 11 August, 2009
BHUBANESWAR: Union Minister of State
for Coal Sri Prakash Jaiswal on Saturday
countered the State Government’s demand
for revision of royalty on coal saying that
there was no need for the said revision. The
royalty on coal will go up automatically if
the production of coal was increased, Mr.
Jaiswal said. Talking to presspersons after
his meeting with Chief Minister Naveen
Patnaik here, Mr. Jaiswal said the prevailing
royalty on coal was more than sufficient.
Mr. Patnaik, however, was not happy with
Mr. Jaiswal’s remarks. The State
government would take up the issue before
the Finance Commission for compensation
of the losses suffered by the State due to
non-revision of royalty on coal, he told
reporters. Mr. Jaiswal, who met the Chief
Minister along with officials of Coal India
and Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL),
discussed about the various hurdles facing
MCL. The Chief Minister assured Mr.
Jaiswal to fasten the process for providing
necessary forest clearance to MCL. Mr.
Patnaik also urged the MCL authorities to
undertake a plantation drive in Talcher
town. Mr. Jaiswal also addressed a gathering
of Congress leaders at the party’s State
headquarters here. A memorandum was
handed over to him by the Pradesh Congress
Committee on the occasion. In the three-
page memorandum, the PCC demanded
rationalisation of royalty regime by a change
over to full ad-valorem basis or aligning
with international best prices. The party also
demanded timely revision of both coal and
non-coal minerals such as iron ore,
manganese, chromite and bauxite etc., and
suitable compensation in case of delay as
recommended by the Eleventh Finance
Commission. The party said that the ruling
Biju Janata Dal had no moral right to blame
the Central government on the royalty
revision issue. “The Chief Minister and his
party nominee while serving as Union
Ministers, Coal and Mines had betrayed the
interest of the State in failing to effect
royalty revision and giving due
compensation during NDA regime,” the
party said in its memorandum.
Nalco accused of neglecting
peripheral villages
The Times of India, 14 August 2009
KORAPUT: Elected representatives of as
many as 13 panchayats, located close to
Nalco at Damanjodi in the district, have
charged the navratna PSU of deliberately
neglecting the development of the peripheral
villages. The sarpanchs and samiti members
of these panchayats, under the banner Nalco
Periphery Development Parishad (NPDP),
have demanded an all-round improvement
of the villages. "Nalco claimed that it has
spent crores of rupees over the years in the
name of development of villages close to the
company unit. But there has hardly been any
noticeable change even in areas adjacent to
its alumina and mines complex. Ever since
the unit was set up here, people of the area
are living in a neglected condition,"
6
president of NPDP Bijay Muduli alleged.
"On several occasions during the past
several years, we have placed our demands
before the Nalco officials. But they keep
ignoring us. Instead of utilizing Nalco's
peripheral development funds for these
villages, the money has been used in urban
areas like Jeypore, Koraput and other places
of the state," Muduli added. The NPDP's
demands include jobs for villagers in Nalco,
electrification of their villages, medical
facilities to villagers at par with Nalco
officials, availability of drinking water
facilities, educational facilities to the
children of peripheral villages in the schools
managed by Nalco and construction of roads
in the village among others. Members of
NPDP alleged that farmers of around 20
villages have been badly affected. Many
people here are suffering from skin diseases
caused by chemical wastes dumped on open
fields by factory workers. Due to mining
activities, several perennial sources of water
have gone dry and the water level in the
low-lying areas has dipped drastically. "This
time, if the Nalco authorities do not pay
heed to our demands within 30 days, then
we will forcibly occupy and plough the
lands located inside the Nalco township,"
Muduli added. Local Nalco officials said a
couple of day's ago, the elected
representatives of these panchayat had
submitted a list of projects to be undertaken
at their respective villages. In the next
Rehabilitation Periphery Devlopment
Adivisory Committee (RPDAC) meeting
their demands will be looked into.
No plans to move, insists
Posco
The Telegraph
Bhubaneswar, Aug. 18: Posco today ruled
out any possibility of moving out of Orissa
in spite of the Union mines minister hinting
at an alternative location for its proposed 12-
million-tonne steel plant. The minister, B.K.
Handique, told reporters on the sidelines of a
conference in New Delhi that Posco might
opt for another location as it had been facing
problems of land acquisition in Orissa.
“Posco is facing problems of land
acquisition. They have decided to move to a
different place,” he said. But later, the
minister’s office clarified that Posco would
not move out of Orissa but may shift to a
nearby location. Posco India general
manager Saroj Mohapatra said: “We are
committed to the project. We never had any
plan to shift our Orissa project, nor do we
have now.” But Posco India officials
admitted that some villagers at the proposed
plant site were still opposed to it and efforts
were on to “win them over”. Chief minister
Naveen Patnaik said the state government
had not received any communication from
Posco regarding its relocation. “We have not
received any proposal from Posco for
relocation of its steel plant project,” Patnaik
said in New Delhi. State steel and mines
minister Raghunath Mohanty said he was
confident the Posco project would come up
at the proposed location as per the MoU.
The South Korean steel major had signed an
MoU with the Orissa government in June
2005 for establishment of a 12 MTPA steel
plant near Paradip port. Billed as one of the
largest FDI projects at $12 billion, the mega
steel plant, however, has failed to take off
because of local resistance over land
acquisition. Out of the total requirement of
4,004 acre, around 500 acre was private
land. So far, the state government had failed
to acquire any private land because of stiff
resistance by local villagers. “We are
negotiating with the local people,
government officials and others,” Mohapatra
said. “Employment will not be a problem.
Not a single person from the three gram
panchayat areas will remain unemployed
after physical construction starts,” he said
Survey on pollution clusters
The Telegraph
New Delhi, Aug. 18: The government will
conduct a fresh survey to identify critically
polluted industrial hubs across India in the
7
next two months, environment and forests
minister Jairam Ramesh said today. The
survey will use scientific criteria to identify
the clusters and will be aimed at developing
action plans for each of them, Ramesh said,
outlining decisions taken at the end of a
national conference of environment
ministers. “Some industrial clusters have
really dangerous levels of environmental
pollution,” Ramesh said. The conference
attended by state environment ministers also
agreed to a survey of 17 categories of highly
polluting industries to track compliance.
States have agreed to develop a time-bound
action plan to deal with polluting industrial
clusters. The plan would be jointly
implemented by the central and state
pollution control boards. Ramesh said states
had agreed to concentrate on the
modernisation of forest administration. He
said forest activities would receive an
unprecedented increase in funding from Rs
3,600 crore in 2008-09 to Rs 8,300 crore this
year.
India to use Chinese models
for cleaning air and water:
Jairam Ramesh
The Times of India, 25 August 2009
BEIJING: India wants to emulate China on
various issues concerning use of technology
and management controls to reduce
emissions and poisoning of rivers, Jairam
Ramesh, minister of state for environment
and forests (independent charge), said on
Tuesday. Ramesh also told his Chinese hosts
that India would like to be made part of a
mechanism on climate control issues, which
have China, Japan and South Korea as
members. The hosts have promised to take
up New Delhi’s request with the two other
member-countries. "We must be plugged
into what they are doing," he said. Ramesh
was full of praise for the Chinese Academy
of Research on Environmental Sciences,
which he visited today. He was also
impressed by Chinese successes in cleaning
up some of their lakes and rivers using
modern technology. "It would be a good
idea for India to emulate. We do not have a
major scientific institution in the area of
environment although we have major
institutes in the fields of agriculture and
industry," he told Indian journalists on
Tuesday. His ministry will send two
delegations for studying Chinese methods of
dealing with industrial pollution and
cleaning of lakes and rivers by 2009 end,
Ramesh said. The Indian teams will mainly
focus on the kind of technologies used by
China in the environmental field. "China has
followed a more scientific approach in
cleaning rivers and lakes than what we have
done," the minister said while lamenting that
hundreds of crores spent on cleaning up the
Ganga and Yamunna rivers have not yielded
significant results. India and China are due
to sign an agreement to collaborate on
several areas of climate change tomorrow.
Another agreement for joint research on
Tibetan plateau will also be inked tomorrow.
New Delhi is also seeking Chinese
participation in the research for management
of coastal zones. It wants an institution from
China to join hands with the National
Institute of Sustainable Coastal Zone
Management, which is being set up at the
Anna University in Chennai. The minister
invited Chinese environment scientists to
attend the next conference of the Indian
Science Congress in Shillong in January.
Ramesh said China have five times the
installed capacity of electricity compared to
India. National Thermal Power Corporation,
which is India’s largest electricity company,
would rank seventh if compared to Chinese
companies, he said. He was impressed by
the high degree of maintenance and
housekeeping at a power plant near Beijing,
which he visited on Tuesday. Forest security
is fighting a losing battle
Illegal mining continues
unchecked
The Hindu, 25 August, 2009
8
JODA (KEONJHAR): It may sound strange,
but it’s true. The investigation into the
illegal mining activities of a private
company by the Vigilance Department in
this mineral-rich district has not led to
stopping of the organised loot of minerals.
In fact, illegal mining and transportation
continues unchecked. Hundreds of trucks are
standing idle in this mineral-rich district
since the arrest of several officials of the
Mining and Forest departments of the State
government. The number of trucks engaged
in transportation of iron ore, manganese and
other minerals in the region has come down
from about 30,000 to about 8,000 at present.
A majority of trucks were not being used not
because there was no work, but because very
few transit permits were being issued by the
authorities concerned during the past couple
of weeks. The post of Deputy Director of
Mines in Joda town of the district has been
lying vacant after the arrest of Madan
Mohan Biswal by the Vigilance Department
on August 11. The Deputy Director of Joda
issues the transport permits to the mining
companies and mines operators. The State
government, which has failed to fill up the
post, has asked the Deputy Director of
Mines at Koida in neighbouring Sundargarh
district to hold additional charge of the post
of Deputy Director of Mines at Joda.
Keonjhar district alone has more than 100
iron ore and manganese mines. The Mines
Department also has large number vacant
posts in the district. There are only six
employees in charge of the 28 weighbridges
in the district. According to sources, illegal
mining and transportation of minerals has
increased since the arrest of the officials, as
there was no one to oversee the entire
mining operation. While traveling from one
end to another one hardly finds any mining
staff at work at the check gates or
weighbridges. With a sudden decrease in the
number of transit permits, mines operators
are using the permits that had been issued to
them earlier or taking away minerals by
using fake permits. The case that is being
probed by the Vigilance Department
pertains to alleged illegal mining by Ram
Bahadur Thakur Limited. But illegal
excavation of minerals is continuing in
many interior and forested areas of the
district even today. According to the people
in Joda area where large-scale illegal mining
had been going on since 2000, illegal mining
and trading of minerals could be checked
only if the State government fills up the
vacant posts in Mines, Forest and Police
departments as soon as possible.
Investigation into just one case of illegal
mining will not put an end to the loot of the
State’s mineral wealth.
Nod to Rs 2000cr projects
The Telegraph
Bhubaneswar, Aug. 26: The state-level
single-window clearance committee, headed
by the chief secretary, today cleared
proposals to set up industrial projects
drawing a total investment of Rs 2,037
crore. With the decision, decks have been
cleared for signing MoUs by promoters
concerned with the state government,
sources said. The committee also forwarded
two more proposals for setting up of two
thermal power plants to generate 3,300MW
with a total investment of Rs 14,275 crore to
the high-level clearance authority, headed by
the chief minister. The final approval of the
authority is needed for the two power
projects since the project cost exceeds Rs
1,000 crore limit each. While JR Power Gen
has proposed to set up a 1,980MW thermal
power plant at an estimated cost of Rs 7,988
crore at Kishore Nagar near Angul, BGR
Energy has submitted proposals for
establishment of a 1,320MW power plant
with an investment of Rs 6,287 crore in
Nayagarh district. Industries director
Hemant Sharma said the committee gave its
final nod to Hindalco’s proposal for setting
up an aluminium re-rolling plant with a
capacity of 2.85 lakh tonnes at Hirakud in
Sambalpur district with an investment of Rs
850 crore. The proposal of Rashmi Cement
Limited to establish a 2 lakh tonnes ferro
manganese plant at Haridaspur in Jajpur
district with an estimated cost of Rs 300
9
crore and Dhananjay Industries’s 40,000-
tonnes ferro alloy plant at Choudwar near
Cuttack with an investment of Rs 180 crore
were also cleared. The committee also
cleared the proposal of Kaushal Ferro
Manganese for establishment of a re-rolling
mill with a production capacity of 2 lakh
tonnes at Padiabahal in Sundergarh district
with an investment of Rs 82 crore. The last
proposal, which got the nod, was submitted
by Bhubaneswar Power Limited to set up a
135MW power plant at Anantpur near
Athgarh in Cuttack district on joint venture
with Tata Steel and Jasper at an estimated
cost of Rs 625 crore.
Hunger strike over unused
land
The Telegraph
Cuttack, Aug. 26: People of seven villages
began a relay hunger strike at Kalinga Nagar
over the 17-year delay in establishing of a
ferro- chrome plant by Misrilal Company.
At least 65 acres of fertile agricultural land
were acquired from 50 families for the
project.Backed by the local sarpanch, the
villagers are demanding “setting up of the
ferro-chrome plant or return of lands
acquired from them for the purpose”. “The
villagers have continued with the hunger
strike over the past five days in a non-
violent manner,” Kalinga Nagar police
station inspector-in-charge K.C. Mund said
today. At least 55 villagers had so far joined
the relay hunger strike at Baghabahali, 65km
from here, the police said. The agitating
villagers are drawn from Badasudi,
Baghabahali, Hanumantapatana, Pankapala,
Nimapalli and Ragadi. According to Pingal
sarpanch Bhabani Purty, nearly 67 acres of
cultivable agricultural land were acquired
from around 50 families for a proposed
ferro-chrome plant by Misrilal Company in
1992. The government had also provided the
company 655 acres at the Saruabali chromite
reserves in Sukinda Valley to meet the raw
material requirements. “While no plant has
come up so far, there has been no let-up in
the extraction and sale of chromite ore by
the company,” said the sarpanch, who is
leading the agitation. People of the six
villages are also peeved as improvement in
healthcare, education, drinking water
facilities along with electricity and roads as
promised by the company had also not
followed during all these years. “We had
given our lands hoping all-round
development of our area. But nothing has
happened,” said one of the villagers.
Mine scam: HC notice to
Centre, CBI
The Times of India, 15 September,
2009
CUTTACK/KEONJHAR: Orissa High
Court has issued notices to the CBI, Centre
and state government on a petition seeking
probe by the premier investigating agency
into alleged multi-crore mining scams in the
state. Pratap Rout, a high court advocate, in
his writ on Monday appealed to the HC to
direct the Centre to institute a CBI probe
into Keonjhar and other mining scams that
have surfaced in recent days in Orissa.
Adjudicating over the PIL, the bench of
acting Chief Justice I M Quddusi and Justice
Sanju Panda had issued notices to the CBI,
Centre and state government to file their
counters within four weeks. The case would
come up for next hearing after receiving the
counter affidavits from the opposite parties,
the bench ordered. Rout, in his petition,
pointed out that since major mining in the
country is in the Union list, Centre should
step into the alleged mining scam which has
rocked the state for the past few weeks.
Earlier, Berhampur-based activist Subrat
Chandra Tripathy, had, in a PIL, requested
the HC to order a CBI probe into the
Keonjhar mining scam, saying the ongoing
vigilance enquiry into the matter would not
reach a logical conclusion. Meanwhile,
industry-sponsored development work has
been badly affected in Keonjhar after the
high court imposed a stay order on
collection of peripheral development funds.
10
The peripheral development committee has
already held discussions on the future course
of action as per the court order. Among
other things they discussed ways by which
they can properly utilize the balance PDS
fund of Rs 74 crores. More than Rs 150
crores are yet to be deposited by different
companies. They also decided on giving
priority to all incomplete projects, on which
work has already begun or funds have been
allotted. This was the first meeting held after
the court imposed the stay order on PDC
activities. The meeting that was held on
Friday was attended by the Keonjhar MP,
MLAs, zilla parishad presidents and
members and other department officials.
Collector (Keonjhar) Debajani Chakraverty
said, "We will ask the companies operating
in Keonjhar to adopt at least five backward
villages within 50 km of their project site.
They will strive for the overall development
of these villages." The committee decided to
carry out development work in this way, due
to the stay order on the government funds.
The MLAs were asked to deposit project
proposals within 15 days after consultation
with the concerned area BDOs. The
companies will form periphery committees
for the areas in which they are interested in
spending the money. The local committees
will inspect the ongoing project work and
spend the PDS fund to upgrade the
healthcare, education, road transport,
drinking water and irrigation facilities in the
district. From 2002-03 to 2006-07, the
demand for the PDC fund was Rs 260,
26,51,510. Out of that, only Rs
153,28,29,516 have so far been deposited.
During this time, a total of Rs 73,59,27,052
has been sanctioned for 976 projects. The
PDS committee was formed under the
Societies Registration Act during 2003-04
and the funds are to the collected under
decision of ministry of industry.
‘Rope in CMAs in execution
of projects’
Express News Service, 15 September,
2009
BHUBANESWAR: With Orissa attracting
huge investments and with increasing
number of development projects, there is an
immediate need for roping in cost and
management accountants (CMAs) in the
execution process. Calling for creation of a
special finance cadre in the State on the line
of the Indian Costs and Accounts Service,
CMAs say they can contribute more for the
development initiative. Many Centrally-
aided projects are facing hurdles due to lack
of matching grants. Even many are getting
adverse comments due to the delay in
issuing utilisation certificates (UCs). But a
CMA can very well manage the situation by
evading the `crisis situation’ suggesting
appropriate `funds swapping’ and `interest
saving options’ to facilitate the work.
Speaking to this paper, former president of
Institute of Costs and Works Accountants of
India (ICWAI) and member of Cuttack-
Bhubaneswar chapter, Prabhakar Mohanty
said, `Expenditure monitoring mechanism’
has become a major area of concern where
both the CMAs and chartered accountants
(CAs) can play a vital role so that the
`mismatch’ arising out of `idle funds’ or
`fiscal scarcity’ can be managed effectively.
``In fiscal matters many committees are
formed and consultants are engaged to file
reports, but none of them has experts from
the professional institutes like ICWAI,’’ he
said adding this will definitely help in
creating more revenue. ``With the help of
professionals, matching contributions for
Centrally-aided projects can be arranged
from the open market by creating an
infrastructure finance corporation which can
accelerate the infrastructure development
process,’’ he said. Being one of the rich
sources of mineral wealth, Orissa has a bad
record for peripheral development activities
and people still live in poor and unhealthy
conditions around industrial areas. Creation
of a peripheral development authority
managed completely by professionals can
bring in rapid change; he said adding even
industries allege that despite depositing
funds with the district administration, there
is lack of infrastructure development in the
11
areas concerned. As the cost and time
overrun factors are bane of major projects,
their timely completion can also be ensured
by involving CMAs and CAs in the
decision-making process and the State
Government must seek the help of the
central body of ICWAI to find out a way out
in this regard, he suggested.
OMC cancels ore linkage to
erring sponge iron units
PNS, 16 September, 2009
It’s a peculiar situation. On the one h and,
many sponge iron plants are demanding a
long-term agreement with the State-run
Orissa Mining Corporation (OMC) for sale
of iron ore and the Orissa Sponge Iron
Manufacturers’ Association (OSIMA) has
time and again sought the intervention of the
State Government to meet the shortage of
iron ore and demanded for a long-term
contract with the OMC. On the other hand,
most of the sponge iron plants having
contracted to take iron ore from the OMC
are just not lifting the raw material. This has
come to notice of the OMC Board. At least
28 sponge iron units have not lifted the
stocks for the last two years. Then, the
question arises as how these sponge iron
units are running the show. “They have not
lifted a single ounce of iron ore in 2007 and
2008,” revealed an internal report. So, these
plants are lifting their raw materials from
illegal and unauthorised sources, felt the
members of the OMC Board. While other
sponge iron plants are asking for ore, the
OMC is not in a position to provide it to
them as it is tied up with these plants.
Taking this situation into consideration, the
OMC has decided to snap ties with all these
28 sponge iron plants, said sources in the
OMC. “They will not be allowed to lift iron
ore from the OMC in future,” said an
official. More than 100 sponge iron units are
operating in the State. The OSIMA has
always complained that they are struggling
because of shortage of raw materials like
iron ore and coal, but more and more sponge
iron units are managing their shows by
lifting ore from unauthorised sources,
thereby promoting illegal mining, said an
expert.
Kalinga Nagar PR bats for
Tata project
PNS, 16 September, 2009
The elected panchayat of the Kalinga Nagar
region has approached the Visthapan
Virodhi Janmanch (VVJM) for talks with
the Jajpur district administration. They have
sought the VVJM’s cooperation for bringing
peace and industrialisation. The elected
representatives like Zilla Parishad and
Panchayat Samiti members and Sarpanches
have appealed the VVJM and written a letter
to the tribal organisation to extend its
cooperation to the district administration for
establishing Tata Steel’s project in Kalinga
Nagar. In the recent past, the PR members
had paid a visit to the Tata Rehab Colonies
at Sansailao, Danagadi and Gobarghati and
expressed their satisfaction over the lifestyle
and other means provided by the company
for education, skill development and other
amenities.
NSS begins publicity
campaign against mining
The Hindu, 16 September, 2009
BERHAMPUR: The ‘Niyamgiri Surakhya
Samity (NSS)’ has started publicity
campaign for a major mass movement in
remote areas of Rayagada and Kalahandi
districts against the mining by Vedanta
Alumina Limited (VAL). The NSS is
planning to hold a large anti-Vedanta rally at
Muniguda in Rayagada district on October
5. A week-long ‘padayatra’ in areas to be
affected by the bauxite mining by the
company would precede it. According to the
action committee member of the NSS, Rabi
Kumbhruka they have already started the
12
efforts to garner support for the rally and
‘padayatra’. It is mostly being done through
interpersonal communication. Mr.
Kumbhurka informed that a meeting was
held at Sakata village of Muniguda block on
September 12 to chalk out the plans in detail
of this campaign. This meeting was also
attended by the former MLA of Bisamkatak,
Sarangdhar Kadraka, who has decided to
help this anti-Vedanta movement in the area.
The CPI (ML New Democracy) has also
extended its support to the movement. The
‘padayatra’ would start from Idurupa village
of Lanjigarh block in Kalahandi district on
September 29. It would conclude at Sakata
village on October 5. The protestors who
would have gathered up at Sakata would
march to Muniguda for the large rally. Mr.
Kumbhurka said their main aim is to make
people and government alert about the
illegal mining by the VAL in Niyamgiri
hills, which would affect the life and
livelihood of people of the area. They have
chosen Muniguda as their site of agitation as
it is a major base for the company. Bhala
Chandra Sarangi, the spokesperson of the
CPI (ML New Democracy) said “People
should know how the VAL had started
mining in the Niyamgiri hills without proper
environmental clearance”. The VAL is
setting up an alumina refinery in Orissa at an
estimated investment of over Rs. 4,000
crore. The construction of refinery unit is
complete. It is to depend on ores mined from
Niyamgiri region. But the mining has been
delayed due to court cases and protest by
green activists. It faces stiff opposition of
the locals of around 104 tribal villages to be
affected by this controversial mining project
who have formed the NSS. The affected
persons include more than 7,987 primitive
Dongria Kondh and Jharania Kondh tribals
of the region. Green activists also allege that
mining in the area would affect the water
flow in the major rivers of south Orissa that
emerge from the Niyamgiri region.
HC notices to CBI, Centre,
State on mining scam plea
PNS, Cuttack, 16 September, 2009
The Orissa High Court on Tuesday issued
notices to the CBI, Centre and State
Government on a petition seeking probe by
the premier investigating agency into
alleged multi-crore mining scams in the
State. Pratap Rout, advocate of the High
Court, in his writ on Monday appealed to the
HC to direct the Centre to institute a CBI
probe into Keonjhar and other mining scams
which have surfaced in recent days in
Orissa. Adjudicating over the PIL on
Tuesday, the bench of Acting Chief Justice
IM Quddusi and Justice Sanju Panda has
issued notices to the CBI, Centre and State
Government to file their replies within four
weeks. The case would come up for hearing
after receiving the counter affidavits from
the opposite parties, the bench said. Rout in
his petition has pointed out that since major
mining in the country is in the Union list,
Centre should step into the alleged mining
scam which has rocked the State for the past
few weeks. Earlier, a Berhampur-based
activist, Subrat Chandra Tripathy, in a PIL
had requested the HC to order a CBI probe
into Keonjhar mining scam, saying the
ongoing vigilance enquiry into the matter
would not reach a logical conclusion.
Nalco in talks to set up nuke
power plant
Express News Service, 16 September,
2009
KORAPUT: Nalco has begun exploratory
talks to establish a nuclear power plant with
the support of Nuclear Power Corporation of
India Limited (NPCIL) in Ganjam district.
Nalco CMD Chittaranjan Pradhan said this
while addressing the media at Damanjodi
here yesterday. Pradhan also said a power
plant is coming up at Jharsuguda. Moreover,
a smelter plant in Iran is also in the pipeline.
Besides, there is a proposal to set up a coal-
based power plant in Indonesia.
Commitment and joint efforts of
13
administration, people and Nalco authorities
could bring about development and make
people self-reliant in the periphery villages
of company’s Damanjodi project, he said.
He expressed concern that people residing in
periphery villages are still living in pitiable
conditions and the health services are not up
to the mark despite the project completing
25 years. He said Nalco has requested
district administration to identify a land for
construction of a 25-bed hospital within 20
km radius of the project. He said machinery
of the company has been upgraded to match
the best in the industry, but the input cost
remains high with 21 per cent of the total
cost going towards human resource
management. There is a need to produce
greater results with minimum inputs
especially at a time when the entire industry,
mainly the aluminum sector, is facing hard
days due to recession. He said the company
is planning to go for massive expansion both
in the country and abroad by maximum
utilisation of its human resource. High grade
bauxite reserve of Pottangi mines would
support the third phase expansion while the
process for obtaining the mines is in the last
stage. Deals are in the final stage for
acquiring mining areas at Gudem and
K.R.Konda mining sites at Chintapalli in
Visakhapatnam district and some other
places near Godavari region in the
neighboring Andhra Pradesh, he said. Nalco
Mines and Refinery Complex executive
director P.K.Mahapatra and general manger
(H&A) R.P. Swain were present.
ESI dispensaries in new
industrial hubs
Express News Service, 22 September,
2009
The Government has submitted a proposal to
the Centre for opening six dispensaries
under the Employees State Insurance (ESI)
scheme. After a meeting with Finance
Minister Prafulla Ghadei on several issues
having financial implications, Minister of
State for labour and Employment Puspendra
Singhdeo told mediapersons that 11 of the
50 ESI dispensaries had been closed due to
shut down of industries. However,
proposals have been submitted for
establishment of ESI dispensaries at new
industrial hubs. The possible locations
identified for the new dispensaries are
Kanhia, Lapanga or Badamal, Damanjodi,
Lanjigarh and Khuntuni. These places are
going to have either thermal power stations,
steel or aluminium projects. The Minister
said the Centre had approved Rs 62 crore for
upgradation of the ESI hospital in the city
while renovation of Choudwar hospital has
been taken up at an estimated cost of Rs 68
crore. The State Government had already
provided 25 acres of land for the proposed
medical college and hospital to be set up by
the ESI Corporation. The corporation had
requested for another 15 acres for future
expansion of the medical college and the
Government has given its assurance.
Presently, over 1.48 lakh persons are
insured under ESI scheme and over 5.56
lakh people are provided medical facilities
by the ESIC. The State has submitted a
proposal to the ESI Corporation to extend
the medical benefit to another 2.04 lakh
people working in industrial areas. The
Labour and Employment Department
proposal to fill up 16 assistant labour officer,
nine regional labour inspector, five junior
stenographer posts was approved by the
Finance Minister. The Minister said
financial concurrence has been obtained for
use of hired vehicles by the district labour
officers (DLOs) who are not provided with
official vehicles. The Finance Minister also
approved the department proposal for
construction of buildings for district labour
office and assistant labour office which are
operating from rented buildings. Presently,
24 assistant labour offices and district labour
offices are functioning in rented buildings.
SCB still struggles to
improve situation
14
Express News Service, 22 September,
2009
CUTTACK: Open and uninhibited
collection of hazardous medical waste
material from the disposal unit of the SCB
Medical College and Hospital among all
other concerns has exposed the rot seeping
through the premier health institution of the
State. Though among the first hospitals of
Orissa to have implemented the Biomedical
Waste (Management and Handling) Rules,
1998, to adopt best practices in medical
waste disposal in the early years of this
decade, it is still struggling to effect any
significant improvement in the situation.
Lack of proper handling of biomedical waste
as per their categories stipulated under the
law from the point of origin has led to a
complete failure of the system. Waste is not
segregated and put in the coloured bags and
bins as per their category, thanks to the
deeprunning apathy among the workforce.
According to the Rules, human anatomical
waste like body parts and organs,
microbiology waste, blood, fluid and items
contaminated with blood and body fluids
including cottons, dressings, plasters, etc.
should be collected in yellow bags and
incinerated or disposed of under deep burial
system. Waste sharps like needles, scalpels,
blades, glass along with other solid waste
like tubes, catheters, intravenous sets should
be put in blue or white punctureproof
containers and either incinerated or
destroyed in autoclave or microwave. The
sharp implements should first be mutilated
by shredders before disposal. But, nothing is
working, according to the rules, here it
seems. After the administration of injections
or drips, the used needles can be seen
discarded at the bedsides. Sources said that
despite regular training and sensitisation, the
fourth class staff including ward attendants
and sweepers, who collect waste from
wards, as well as paramedical staff like
nurses, who administer the injections, drips
and medications, are disinclined to do the
job properly. Thus, all waste gets mixed up
and dumped at an unsecured space without
guards, they are an open invitation for
unscrupulous elements to come into play.
Hospital Superintendent Prof DN Moharana
today admitted the shortcomings and
claimed that steps were being taken to
correct the anomalies. The process for
increasing the strength of security staff from
the present 50-odd to over 100 had started
and new deployments would be made within
the next fortnight. Measures would also be
taken to ensure proper segregation of
biomedical waste at source and then dealt
with the waste immediately and
appropriately, he said.
Industrial pollution takes a
heavy toll
Express News Service, 22 September,
2009
SAMBALPUR: Not much has changed for
the people of Kaliapada, situated opposite
Shyam DRI Private Limited. Located in
Pondloi village along the State Highway 10
in Rengali block, the company is on an
expansion mode but will it deliver what the
40-odd tribal families inhabiting the village
have been looking for? No, at least this is
what the villagers strongly feel. They feel
cursed and their fate sealed with no end to
their sufferings as class and caste hierarchy
push them into the darkness of life.
Ironically, Kaliapada is the worst-hit among
the project-affected villages which includes
Pondloi, Babuchakli, Nisanbhanga,
Charpada, Terchapada, Chatnapada and
Gurupali. Their woes are innumerable with
none to show any concern. Emissions from
the plant turn the cultivated crops black
rendering it unfit for sale and consumption
while pollution has led to diseases. With
unemployment still a major problem for
many, the villagers are also deprived of
road, drinking water, electrification and
minimum wage for those working under
contractors in Shyam DRI. Their resentment
was visible when a group of women, with
15
children in tow, called on the regional
officer of State Pollution Control Board
(SPCB) here, Shitikantha Sahu, demanding
road, electrification, drinking water,
minimum wages and employment
opportunities. The once rippling waters of
Matuali joar (flowing stream) in Kaliapada
is now covered with a layer of black smoke
particles. But Sahu expressed helplessness
as the issues need to be raised in the
Rehabilitation and Periphery Development
Advisory Committee (RPDAC).
Maintaining that they cannot raise their
voice in the presence of higher caste
villagers and the landlord, Jayanti Oram said
although they attend RPDAC meeting they
fear to speak up. Similar sentiments were
echoed by Rajshree Oram who confided that
since they eke out a living working for the
higher caste villagers from neighbouring
villages they are forced to suffer silently. To
make things worse, whatever little periphery
development work is being undertaken, is
being executed in the other project-affected
villages which are much less affected
compared to Kaliapada. Meanwhile, Sahu
has taken up the issues with Shyam DRI
management and work on the village pond --
which had turned black due to emission -- is
being cleaned and embankment being
strengthened. The company has also been
requested to construct an overhead tank for
supply of drinking water and redress the
grievances of the villagers. Efforts will also
be made to develop Kaliapada as a ‘model
project-affected village’, he added.
Eco disaster: Can it be
averted?
Express News Service, 23 September,
2009
PARADIP/BHUBANESWAR: As the
concern over oil spillage from the sunken
Black Rose grew, the port authorities on
Tuesday decided to seek expertise of
international firms to pump out fuel from the
ill-fated Mongolian vessel. Over 900 tonnes
of fuel still on board and Indian technology
unavailable for taking the oil out,
international firms will have to be called in.
There were tell-tale signs of oil reaching the
nearby beaches. Locals also feared a fire
mishap though Orissa State Pollution
Control Board (OSPCB) as well as the port
authorities said the apprehension is
unfounded. It was the sight of dead fish and
crabs and thick layer of black sand along the
coast that raised concern and fear of the
worst. A two-member team of OSPCB, led
by scientist Dillip Kumar Behera, collected
the samples on Tuesday. The slack point of
the vessel was high and there is little chance
of fire mishap, Behera said. As the concern
grew, PPT decided to float a tender. ``As a
medium-term measure, we have decided that
the fuel must be pumped out of the ship.
International technology is available for
this,’’ Deputy Chairman of PPT Biplab
Kumar told this paper. The firm will be
given 45 days to pump out oil, which is a
tedious task and would require time. Kumar
said the vessel is under surveillance and
there has been no sign of a spillage yet near
Black Rose. Also, no floating oil mass has
been found. Whatever has been found along
the coast could be small quantity of lube oil
from engine, he said. The port has decided
to hire experts who have underwater
technology to plug such leakage. ``Indian
firms have expertise and we will locate them
at the shortest time possible’’, Kumar said.
The PPT has already sought help from
Maritime Port Authority of Singapore and
Indonesia to avert any disaster after mv
Black Rose sank off the Paradip coast on
September 9. Tilted dangerously, the
abandoned vessel is partially floating.
Govt to set milestones for 13
mega projects
Express News Service, 23 September,
2009
16
BHUBANESWAR: The State Government
has decided to set milestones for each of the
13 mega projects for their timely
completion. Though memoranda for
understanding (MoUs) were signed for the
establishment of these projects at different
times, there has been no progress in many
cases. Steel and Mines Minister Raghunath
Mohanty, who reviewed the progress of the
mega projects, told this paper that based on
the milestones, stock taking will be done
again after six months. The Minister said
that the companies, which signed the MoUs
for the projects, have been asked to
accelerate the pace of execution of their
projects. He, however, maintained that the
State Government wants all the 13 mega
projects to come up. Asked whether the
State Government has threatened to cancel
the MoUs if the projects did not progress in
a satisfactory manner, the Minister said that
no such decision has been taken as yet. The
State Government now only wants to
monitor the implementation of the projects
and asked the companies to accelerate the
pace, he said. The Minister said that the
progress of the projects will definitely be
taken into account in the next review
meeting. He said that no company wants to
withdraw from the projects proposed to be
set up in the State. However, despite the
optimism of the Minister, all the projects
have fallen far behind their schedule except
one. With the locals again organising
themselves to oppose the Posco project, it
seems that there is little chance of any
progress if a settlement is not reached soon.
The State Government has so far not
evolved a method to assuage the feelings of
the locals and progress with the land
acquisition needed for the mega projects.
The review meeting revealed that only one
third of the land proposed to be utilised for
the mega projects has been acquired. The
progress has been so slow that several
companies have given up hope for any early
settlement of the dispute. Already two years
behind schedule, it seems that Posco is in a
hurry to launch the project. Two high-level
delegations of officials from the company
have already met Chief Minister Naveen
Patnaik in this connection. However, there is
no solution to the problem faced by
company.
‘Manganese ore in enemy
hands’
Express News Service, 23 September,
2009
BHUBANESWAR: Upping the ante against
the State Government over the multi-crore
mining scam, president of the Orissa
Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) KP
Singhdeo has written to Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh and Union Home Minister
P Chidambaram demanding a probe by the
National Investigation Agency (NIA) into
the matter. Addressing a news conference
here today, Singhdeo said that manganese
ore illegally mined and transported from the
State has landed in the hands of enemies and
this should be probed by the NIA. It is a
strategic matter, Singhdeo said, adding that
illegal mining from Keonjhar is only the tip
of the iceberg. The OPCC president said that
officials from the Indian Bureau of Mines
(IBM) had come to the State to probe the
matter after the issue was taken up with the
Centre and it has found largescale
irregularities. Stating that Congress has all
along raised the issue in the Assembly and
outside, Singhdeo said that it was Congress
MLAs who raised the issue in the Assembly.
Former Union minister and Kalahandi MP
Bhakta Charan Das also raised the issue at
the national level, he said. The OPCC
president had yesterday written to Union
Minister for Mines BK Handique
demanding a probe by the NIA into the
matter. But what has surprised political
observers here is that despite repeated
demands from the State Congress leaders,
the Centre has so far not acted tough on the
State Government. After repeated demands,
a team from the IBM was despatched to the
State to inquire into the matter. Sources,
however, maintained that the IBM does not
have jurisdiction over such matters.
Secretary of the All India Congress
17
Committee (AICC) Harendra Mirdha, who
is here to assess the progress of membership
drive of the party, blamed the State
Government for its lack of commitment to
implement the welfare measures launched
by the Centre. Mirdha said that the Centre
has provided sufficient funds in the health,
education and infrastructure sectors. But the
State Government has failed to utilise the
funds, he said. The Congress leaders also
criticised the State Government for the arrest
of Lakshman Choudhury, a journalist of
Parlakhemundi, on the grounds of his having
links with the Naxalites.
Industry told to include R&R
as major investment segment
The Hindu, 23 September, 2009
BHUBANESWAR: National consultant on
Rehabilitation and Resettlement (R&R) S.
M. Jaamdar here on Tuesday asked
industrial houses to include rehabilitation of
families being displaced by their projects as
one major segment of their total investment.
Speaking at a workshop on “Rehabilitation
and Resettlement” organised by Orissa
chapter of Confederation of Indian
Industries (CII), Mr. Jaamdar pointed out
that expenditure made by companies on
R&R was not even one per cent of their total
project cost. He said Corporate Social
Responsibility (CSR) cannot be substituted
by R&R. “CSR is voluntary. It is meant for
general welfare of people. But R&R is
mandatory which directly benefits people.
Companies should make higher allocation of
funds on R&R,” Mr. Jaamdar said. When a
national policy on R&R became a law, it
would bring about a perceptible change in
rehabilitation of displaced families, he said.
The national consultant of UNDP hailed
R&R policy formulated by Orissa saying it
was comprehensive, integrated and
progressive. Most of the provisions of
Orissa policy were incorporated in the
national policy, he said. Mr. Jaamdar was
not the only one who was critical of
handling of R&R issues by companies.
Influential Biju Janata Dal leader and party
Rajya Sabha member Pyari Mohan
Mohapatra said not a single family in Orissa
was rehabilitated to its satisfaction since
1948. Stating that providing jobs to
displaced families was not a sustainable
rehabilitation, Mr. Mohapatra said
companies should try to develop livelihood
of people residing in their project area. State
Agriculture Minister Damdor Rout said
there had been no proper evaluation if
benefit of industrialization had really
reached people. There was big gap in
provisions and implementation, he said.
Orissa exposed to e-wastes
PNS, 23 September, 2009
Electronic wastes, known as e-wastes, are
turning out to be dangerously hazardous for
the people of the State. While Government
officials are busy tackling the solid and
medical wastes, they seem to have coolly
forgotten e-waste. e-wastes consist of
discarded old computers, mobile phones,
televisions, refrigerators, radios, basically
any electrical or electronic appliance that
has reached its end of life. Orissa generates
more than 1,000 tonnes of e-wastes
annually, say experts. But no proper study
has been taken up till date, they admit. e-
wastes are mostly generated in the State’s
large towns like Bhubaneswar, Cuttack,
Berhampur, Sambalpur and Rourkela. The
State Secretariat has turned out to be a
dumping ground for e-wastes as officials
store these hazardous materials without
disposing them off. While experts in the
Orissa State Pollution Control Board
(OSPCB) are burning midnight oil to control
hazardous substances from solid wastes and
medical wastes, they are yet to take note of
these e-wastes. The Department of
Information Technology (DoIT) is also not
bothered about the problem, feel experts.
While e-wastes contain both valuable
materials such as gold, palladium, silver and
copper, they also have harmful substances
like lead, cadmium and mercury. In the
18
absence of suitable techniques and
protective measures, recycling of e-wastes
can result in toxic emissions to the air, water
and soil and pose a serious health and
environmental hazard, warn experts. Rag
pickers and wastes dealers find it easy to
adapt to the new waste streams, resulting in
a large number of new businesses focusing
on the reuse of components or extraction of
secondary raw materials. So far, e-waste
recycling system is purely market-driven.
Some of the recycling processes are
extremely harmful and have negative impact
on the workers' health and the environment.
There are no rules for e-waste management,
and some time the wastes are burnt on the
roadside. Experts say the burning of printed
wiring boards showed alarming
concentration of dioxins in the surrounding
areas, where open burning was practised.
These toxins cause an increased risk of
cancer if inhaled by workers and local
residents or by entering the food chain via
crops from the surrounding fields.
Five more framed in mining
scam
The Statesman
BHUBANESWAR, 23 SEPT.: The state
vigilance today instituted cases against three
more officers of the mines department and
two others in connection with illegal mining
and the trading of iron ore in Mayurbhanj
district. Official sources said the cases were
registered against the deputy director of
mines, Mr Baripada LM Soren, inspector of
mines Mr PC Sahu and mining officer Mr
BK Sahu. The lease holder Mr BK Das and
owner of Jai Jagannath Movers who was
operating the mines Mr PK Das. Preliminary
investigations revealed that they had
indulged in illegal mining and transport
causing a loss of over Rs 10 crore to the
state. The ore was being sent to sponge iron
units in West Bengal and other states. The
mines ministry has sought a detailed report
from the state government on the alleged
illegal mining activities. The multi-crore
mining scam has rocked the state and the
ministry had been moved to intervene. It had
asked a team of Indian Bureau of Mines to
ascertain facts and the team did confirm
illegal mining activity in Orissa. Meanwhile,
vigilance sleuths searched the house of Mr
SM Dasmahapatra at Cuttack today in
connection with another mining case
registered earlier.;sns
Legal action to be taken
against vessel owner; Orissa
Pollution board conformed
Oil spill
The Orissa Diary, 24 September, 2009
Union Minister for Chemical and Fertilizers
Mr Srikant Jena has directed the Paradip
Port Trust authority to be high alert to tackle
any kind of pollution due to oil spill from
sunken vessel 'Black Rose' on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, PPT has urged near the minister
to take steps for giving permission from
central government to take legal action
against the vessel owner and its company
manager. Mr Jena visited Paradip and
interacted with port officials for the
development of Paradip port and also
reviewed port activities. PPT chairman Mr
K.Raghuramiha also highlighted the
performance of port activities and informed
about the steps being taken to check oil spill
from sunken vessel.PPT has sought the
intervention of the national and intentional
experts to retrieve oil from sunken vessel.
Union Minister Mr Jena has directed port
officials to be watchful for leakage of oil
from sunken vessel to avoid marine
environment so far. Later, Jena visited
IIFFCO plant and interacted IFFCO officials
on Wednesday. Meanwhile, PPT has sought
the intervention to obtain permission from
central government to take legal action
against vessel owner and its company
manger. On the other hand ,the fishermen
communities and residents of Paradip has
19
got sigh of relief after the reduction of oil
spill from sinking vessel 'Black Rose' in last
24 hours. Panic gripped last two days due to
oil spill from sunken vessel. Locals and
fishermen have already felt the impact of the
oil leakage in form of dead fishes and crabs
dotting the Paradip shore. They also find a
thick layer of greasy black dusts on the
beach. Later, the officials of Orissa State
Pollution Control Board rushed to the spot
and visited the spot to ascertain the cause of
oil spill from vessel. Meanwhile, the leakage
of oil from sinking vessel has been reduced
so there is no sign of oil near the proximity
of sinking vessel. Similarly, the percentage
of oil flow on sea surface has been reduced
in last 24 hours. Even dying of sea fishes,
crabs, marine species have not sighted on
seashore at Paradip on Wednsady bringing
sigh of relief among the fishermen
communities, environmentalists and
residents of Paradip. Senior scientist Mr
Dillip Kumar Behera of OSPCB has
expressed that oil spill from sunken vessel
has been confirmed but the oil spill is low so
marine pollution has yet witnessed. He also
warned that large scale oil spill from this
sunken vessel can not be ruled out so
OSPCB has directed the Paradip Port Trust
authority and Indian Coast Guard to take
precautionary measures to check
environmental and marine pollution . It is
learnt that sunken vessel has 23 , 847 metric
tones of iron ore cargo (fines) , 924 tone
furnace oil , 50 tone diesel and 40 tone
grease which have posed threat both human
being and marine spices due to oil spill.
Renewable energy to be used
in remote villages
The Hindu, 29 September, 2009
BERHAMPUR: Thanks to alternative
sources of power some of the most remote
villages in the State would now be able to
get electricity. According to National Hydro
Power Corporation (NHPC) sources, more
than 200 villages in Gajapati, Ganjam,
Nayagarh and Angul districts of the State
are proposed to be electrified through
alternative power sources. The NHPC is
entrusted with the rural electrification work
in six districts , including Ganjam and
Gajapati districts of south Orissa under the
Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana
(RGGVY). About 100 remote villages in
Gajapati district and 35 villages in Ganjam
district are being planned to be electrified by
unconventional power sources. Similar
efforts would be taken up in 35 remote
villages of Nayagarh district and 33 villages
of Angul district. Remoteness of these
villages makes electrification through
conventional power source a costly and
tough task. Most of these villages are
located in dense and inaccessible areas. Due
to technical difficulties these villages could
not be taken up for electrification under the
RGGVY. According to sources the selected
203 villages would be electrified under the
Central government sponsored Remote
Village Electrification Programme (RVEP)
by the Orissa Renewable Energy
Development Agency (OREDA). It was
decided at a high level meeting on rural
electrification held in Bhubaneswar recently.
It may be noted that complete rural
electrification of Ganjam, Gajapati,
Nayagarh and Angul districts under
RGGVY was targeted to be over by
September 30. In Orissa rural electrification
work is on in 26 districts under the RGGVY.
Electrification of several extreme remote
low populated villages and hamlets are
being taken up under the Biju Gramin Jyoti
Yojana of the State government. The
government selected 1,786 villages in the
State where provision of power through
conventional method would not be possible.
These villages are to be electrified by
renewable energy sources in a phased
manner.
20
 PUBLIC HEARING NOTICES

NAME OF
DATE OF VENUE OF
COMPANY & CAPACITY OF THE DATE OF NOTIFICATION
PUBLIC PUBLIC
PLACE OF PROJECT NOTICE NUMBER OF MOEF
HEARING HEARING
OPERATION
M/S Crackers Expansion of existing
India (Alloys) sponge iron plant of
Bhagalpur
Ltd., Village- 60,000 TPA to 29.09.09
1 26.08.09 village, 13593/IND-11-PH-272
Gobardhanpurp Integrated Steel Plant of ( 10.30a.m )
Keonjhar
ur, Dist- 1.0 MTPA and WHRB
Keonjhar of 54 MW

N.B- Earlier this public hearing was scheduled to be held on 06.03.09 but due to
certain unavoidable reasons it could not be conducted.

21
ENVIRONMENTAL CLEARANCE

MINING PROJECTS RECEIVED ENVIRONMENTAL

CLEARANCE

Project Details Received on Approved on

Project No: J-
11015/214/08-
IA.II(M)
Project Name:
Expansion Proposal of
Unchabali Iron & 25.05.09 23.07.09
Manganese Ore Mines
District: Keonjhar
Village: Unchabali
Company: M/s Smt.
Indrani Patnaik

(Source- Ministry of Environment & Forest’s website www.envfor.nic.in )

INDUSTRIAL PROJECTS RECEIVED ENVIRONMENTAL

CLEARANCE

Project Details Received on Approved on

Project No: J-
11011/819/2008-
IA.II(I) Project Name:
Expansion Proposal of
Unchabali Iron &
25.05.09 23.07.09
Manganese Ore Mines
District: Keonjhar
Village: Unchabali
Company: M/s Smt.
Indrani Patnaik

22
 FOREST CLEARANCE

Mining

CLEARED PROJECTS IN_FINAL STAGE

No project cleared in last three months in this category

CLEARED PROJECTS IN_PRINCIPAL STAGE

RECEIVED APPROVED
PROJECT DETAILS
ON ON
File Number: 5-ORC074/2008-BHU
Area: 33.722 ha
Description:DIVERSION OF 33.722 HA OF
FOREST LAND IN UTKAL-B COAL BLOCK FOR 13/06/2008 06/02/2009
COAL MINING IN ANGUL DISTRICT BY M/S
JINDAL STEEL & POWER LTD.
District: Angul

PENDING PROJECTS WITH STATE Moef

RECEIVED
PROJECT DETAILS Status
ON
File Number: ORC092/2009-BHU
Area: 34.826 ha
Description: DIVERSION OF 34.876 HA Joint field inspection
OF FOREST LAND IN IN VILLAGE to be carried out by
KHANDABANDHA AND IN BAITARANI 26/05/2009 Ero and State
RESERVE FOREST IN KEONJHAR, ORISSA government on 7-8
FOR IRON ORE MINING BY M/S DEEPAK September, 09
STEEL AND POWER LTD
District: Keonjhar

PENDING PROJECTS WITH CENTRAL Moef

No record found

(Source- Ministry of Environment & Forest’s website www.envfor.nic.in )

23
 Environmental Protection Group, Orissa
epgorissa@gmail.com

Environment Protection Group, Orissa, is an informal forum, where a number of

individuals with rich experience and expertise in different fields have joined
together with an aim to safeguard the state’s rich biological diversity, its people, its
economy and diverse culture of various ethnic groups, especially tribals, from the
clutches of existing ‘development paradigm based on extractive mining and
industrialization’.
During various informal discussions a felt need for and interactions with many
groups/forums/individuals it was felt need of proper, authenticate information at
right time. Keeping this, EPG, Orissa has decided to bring an update on Mining at a
regular interval. This is the first Step towards strengthening of the voices of
people/groups/forums

N.B:

™ The news items which are reproduced in this e-magazine were published
in Bhubaneswar/ Calcutta editions of various newspapers during the
period August-September, 2009.

™ Information on Environmental Clearances, Pending Projects and

Rejected Projects etc. have been downloaded from the web site of MoEF,
Govt. of India.

™ EPGORISSA has tried its level best to place the information as published
in the newspapers and websites.

™ For any legal matters or for other purposes please collect the original
news items and MoEF orders.

™ This magazine is only for private circulation.

EPG ORISSA is not liable for any legal proceedings.

24