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LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Industry out of poll plot by Madhuparna Das

Industry out of poll plot by Madhuparna Das

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published Published on May 10, 2011   modified Modified on May 10, 2011

The Tatas pulled out of Singur; the Salims of Indonesia out of Nandigram. What is still ticking is the Jindals’ Rs-35,000-crore, 10-million-tonne steel plant at Salboni.

It has the potential to churn out the first industrial success story for whoever captures power in West Bengal after May 13. Along with the steel plant, a 1,000-MW power project to is coming up.

At one point, Salboni had appeared to have the makings of a Singur or a Nandigram. The project’s inauguration in November 2008 had triggered a landmine attack on Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and Sajjan Jindal of the Jindal group, then led to the Lalgarh movement.

Since then, however, the project has remained largely out of the fierce debate over agriculture and industry that has marked the elections in West Bengal. Salboni votes in the sixth and final phase of the elections on May 10.

The project has gone ahead despite setbacks in terms of delays, cost overruns, a tribal agitation and threats from Maoists in their Junglemahal territory. Today, the poor from villages around the site are happily employed in the project.

Authorities of JSW Bengal Steel Ltd would rather not discuss the project for fear that it would spark a controversy where there has been none since the initial resistance. But one reason the plant has not been an election issue is that, unlike in Singur and in Nandigram, it is on fallow land, 5,000 acres the Jindals bought from the state government.

Displacement of residents, therefore, was never an issue. The Jindals did acquire some land in the periphery of the government-vested land but it was done amicably; every landowner was consulted individually, the compensation package finalised mutually. In 2008, the Jindal project was brought under the purview of an SEZ, although the process of land acquisition had started well before, in 2006. The project spreads across two panchayat areas that include 12-15 villages.

When the project was inaugurated, there was stiff resistance from Maoists, who triggered the mine attack. Once these setbacks were overcome, the project got immense support from locals. At present, the boundary walls and staff quarters are being built. More than 2,000 villagers are at work here everyday, unskilled labourers getting Rs 120 a day and semi-skilled ones Rs 150.

“For decades, we were deprived of development, jobs and food. We want the project to take off as we are sure it will create jobs. It has already ensured two square meals for us every day,” said Biswanath Roy, 80, of Gamaria village. His son Sukumar works on the site.

Industry sources say 15,000 workers will be engaged during construction. The Industrial Training Institutes at Jhargram and Midnapore will be upgraded to public-private-partnerships to train workers.

To win locals over, the company has strategically introduced mobile medical and healthcare services even before the factory has come up. Apart from a hospital inside the project area, there are two medical teams, allopathic and homoeopathic, who visit the villages once a week. Villagers too go to the hospital and get free treatment and medicine.

“I have a tumour in my throat. I didn’t know what it was but it ached a lot,” says Harikishor Mana of Kashijhora. “After the hospital started, I visited doctors. I get medicines regularly now and am better.”

“We had been warned by Maoists not to join work but found the guts to defy them,” says Buddheswar Mahato of Balibasa village. “They used to come every night and threaten villagers but we unitedly resisted them. I worked under NREGA for 25 days but am yet to get paid. If the factory comes up here, we will get jobs.”

“We have no problem if the plant comes up,” says Trinamool candidate Srikanta Mahato, who allegedly has links with Maoists. “But the management has to stick to our terms. We have to see the interests of the tribals are not compromised.”

Mahato adds, however, that they are opposed to the power plant. “The power plant will pollute the environment. After coming to power, we will discuss the issue with Mamata Banerjee,” says Mahato, panchayat pradhan of Bhimpur in Salboni, who had been arrested for his alleged Maoists links. He was granted bail recently.

Plant managers say pollution will be taken care of. “We have taken all possible measures to check pollution. We also have approval to set up a 270-metre chimney, the highest in the country, for emitting smoke,” says Biswadip Gupta, joint MD & CEO, JSW Bengal Steel

“We have got great support from villagers and have promised to recruit locals as far as as possible. But if any outfit is opposed to our project just for the sake of opposing it, it is up to the state administration to take care of it,” Gupta adds.

The Indian Express, 9 May, 2011, http://www.indianexpress.com/news/industry-out-of-poll-plot/787589/0


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