Tata Steel Gopalpur Industrial Park project gets CRZ nod

The construction work for the much awaited Industrial Park of Tata Steel near Gopalpur in south Odisha is expected to start from the next month as the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) has accorded Costal Regulation Zone (CRZ) clearance to its anchor projects. The ministry has accorded clearance for sea water intake and brine discharge from 1.2 million gallon daily (MGD) desalination plant proposed at the site for the Tata Steel's 4,00,000 tonne per annum (TPA) Rebar Mill and 55,000 TPA High Carbon Ferro-Chrome Plant coming up there. The ministry had granted environment clearance to these projects last year. "Now with the CRZ nod, the project has received almost all the statuary clearances and we will start the construction work next month," said a senior officer of the company. "The preliminary work is already underway and equipments have started arriving," he added.

The steel major, as an anchor investor in the proposed Industrial Park, will invest around Rs 1,000 crore on these projects, which initially will create employment for 1,000 people. Tata Steel has already procured several equipments for its High Carbon Ferro-Chrome Plant. The equipments included heat exchanger, bag filter, and defuser. The orders have been placed for some more equipment for the Ferro-chrome plant, which will be arriving at the site very soon, sources said. Though Tata Steel had acquired around 2800 acres of land in mid 1990s for setting up of a mega steel plant, the company later shelved the project and decided to set up an Industrial Park there. Chief Minister, Naveen Patnaik had laid foundation stone for the Industrial Park on August 20, 2010.

Since the entire patch of acquired land has not been transferred in the name of Tata Steel so far, the company will start the anchor projects in around 400 acres. The company has taken advance possession of this patch, sources said. The company would step up efforts to invite other investors to set up projects in the Industrial Park after getting the lands transferred in the name of the company and approval of permanent SEZ (Special Economic Zone) status for the complex, which has already received in-principle approval from the government of India.

The setting up of the anchor projects is expected to boost the investors' confidence and thereby helping in attracting investments to the tune of Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000 crore to the Industrial Park. "This will greatly facilitate sustainable economic development in and around Ganjam district," said the Tata Steel official.

Source: Business Standard