Stir halts Ganjam titanium project

The integrated titanium plant, is being set up by the Titanium Products Private Limited (TTPL), a joint venture company of Kolkata based Saraf Agencies and Russian government.

The district administration issued the order to the company authorities after a clash erupted between two groups of people in Kanamana village over the labour engagement in the land leveling work recently.

At least five persons were injured and three vehicles were damaged in the incident.

The company has acquired about 250 acres at Kanamana, Sriramchandrapur and Tiikiria-Berhampur villages near Chhatrapur for the plant to produce about 40,000 ton per annum (tpa) of titanium dioxide.

The land comprises 200 acres of private and 52.66 acres of government land.

Meanwhile, the people of these four villages urged the district administration to allow the company to start construction work.

Several villagers assembled at the district headquarter town, Chhatrapur on Monday to press their argument.

The additional district magistrate (ADM) however assured them the work would be resumed soon after the peace committee meeting.

The villagers told him that some outsiders were creating trouble in the implementation of the project.