Jindal steel plant in Orissa gets green notice
By IANSFriday, November 26, 2010
NEW DELHI - The environment ministry Friday issued a show cause notice for revoking environment clearance to Jindal steel and power plant in Angul in Orissa for violating green laws.
The ministry issued the notice under Section 5 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, for revocation of environmental clearance in view of Jindal not obeying its conditions.
The ministry, while giving environmental clearance to the 6 million tonnes per annum (MMTA) integrated steel plant and 1,000 MW captive power plant at Kerjag in Angul district of Orissa earlier, had said that no construction work should begin till the land is officially acquired.
However, the company flouted the norm, the ministry said.
“The clearance to the plant was granted in February 2007 under specific conditions that no construction activity at the project site shall be initiated till the 168.232 hectares of forest land is obtained,” it said.
According to the ministry, the divisional forest officer at Angul issued a show cause notice last year as construction work like storage godown, roads, foundation, for industrial activities like power plant, stockyard plant mill have been undertaken on the non-forest government land.
The ministry has directed the company to stop all the activities within the project area till forest clearance is obtained.
Jindal Steel and Power Limited has been asked to reply within 15 days.
