IREL chalks out Rs 138 cr expansion plan

To double capacity of Orissa unit

The Indian Rare Earths Limited (IREL), a public sector undertaking under the Department of Atomic Energy, Government of India, has decided to double the capacity of its Orissa unit at an investment of about Rs 138 crore.

The capacity of the Mining and Mineral Separation (MMS) plant of the Orissa Sands Complex (OSCOM), located at Matikhala, near Chhatrapur town in south Orissa's Ganjam district, would be increased from 220,000 tonnes to 470,000 tonnes.

The company does not need to acquire more land for its expansion plan.

OSCOM was set up in 1984 to process the sand minerals such as ileminite, rutile, zircon and monazite.

The mineral belt running over a length of nearly 18-km with a total area of over 26 sq-km between Gopalpur in south and Rushikulya river in north is estimated to contain about 230 million tonnes of raw sands with 20-25 per cent minerals. OSCOM was set up to harness the minerals from the sands, sources said.

Meanwhile, the Orissa State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB) has conducted a public hearing for its expansion plan to provide the environment clearance. S B Padhy, Additional District Magistrate (ADM), Ganjam presided over the public hearing conducted by the pollution board.

The local people who attended the public hearing have urged the OSCOM authorities to take up more works under the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

"Before going ahead with its proposed expansion work, the company authorities should make a detailed environment impact assessment (EIA) study on the peripheral areas”, said former MLA (Chhatrapur) N Narayan Reddy.

"We are not opposing the company's expansion plan but we want to protect the livelihood of the people of the area”, he added.

The company has also mining lease in the area. While its south sector was going to complete, the authorities plan to start mining from the north sector of the plant.

"The company needs to fill up the mine voids”, said former MLA (Chhatrapur) Ashok Choudhury. He also suggested massive plantation in the area by OSCOM authorities.