Livid Bhushan Power & Steel threatens to quit J'khand

Tired of having to fend for itself, Bhushan Power and Steel company today threatened to call off plans to invest in Jharkhand, where its employees were assaulted by locals during a land survey exercise yesterday.

"Jharkhand government has been uncooperative. We have been asked to approach the government only after acquiring 50 per cent of the required land," company Executive Director (Jharkhand Project) Paras Singh told PTI over phone.

The company, which plans to invest around Rs 10,500 crore for the plant, has acquired only about 100 acres of the total 3,400 acres it needs for the project and rehabilitation.

The company had yesterday suspended land acquisition process for the 3 million tonne per annum integrated steel project after three land surveyors were assaulted by villagers in Potka block in the state.

"Government has to improve the law and order situation if it wants us to stay here," Singh said, pointing to obstacles to land acquisition put up by groups like Bhoomi Sudhar Andolan.

"Farmers are willing to give the land. The land is not very fertile in the state, so the land owners are happily selling their land to us on good terms in view of industrial development and more job creation in the region," he said.