Green panel for conditional nod to JSW's project in Bellary

An Environment Ministry panel has recommended conditional nod to Sajjan Jindal-led JSW Steel's Rs 25,000-crore investment proposal for expanding the capacity of steel plant located in Bellary, Karnataka.

Earlier, the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) of the Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) in December last year had deferred the decision on green nod to the project seeking certain details.

"After detailed deliberations, the committee recommended the project for environmental clearances subject to specific conditions along with other environmental conditions," the panel has said.

The 28 conditions prescribed by the panel, include an assurance by the company that the plant will obtain its raw material on regular basis from the designated sources for long period to enable the validity of its EMP (Environmental Management Plan) report."

Apart from plans to augment the capacity of its integrated steel manufacturing facility from 10 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) to 16 MTPA, JSW plans to set up a 600 MW captive power plant near Tornagallu village at Bellary.

The conditions for the project include developing a green belt in the plant area, earmarking 5 per cent of the total cost of the project towards enterprise social commitment and providing housing for construction labour within the plant site with all necessary infrastructure facilities.

Besides, the panel has asked the company for "compliance to all the specific and general conditions stipulated for the existing plant".

The project had come up for deliberation in the meeting of Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) held recently.

Earlier in December, the EAC had deferred the decision on the proposal seeking detailed housing plan for construction workers, exact source and trace element analysis of raw materials, a copy of coal linkage document and CSR plan for five per cent of the project cost.

The expert committee had also asked for an authenticated map showing the location of the project and Daroji Bear Sanctuary and has recommended the project for green nod after sending a sub-committee to the site, which gave its report recently.

JSW's Bellary plant is just about 5 km away from the Daroji Sloth Bear Sanctuary.

JSW requires about 700 acres for the proposed expansion, which is within the existing plant area. The company's Bellary plant, including the township, is spread over 7,761 acres and claims that it has reserved 33 per cent greenery within the total plant area.

JSW Steel had already invested close to Rs 40,000 crore in the Bellary plant.