Bhushan Steel gets green nod for Rs 3,000 cr project in Odisha

It'll be setting up a pellet unit with a production capacity of 7 million tonnes per annum

Bhushan Steel Ltd (BSL) has received the environment clearance for its Rs 3,000 crore project to set up a pellet unit with a production capacity of 7 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) in Odisha.

BSL operates a 5.6 MTPA integrated steel plant in Dhenkanal, Odisha. There is a scarcity of lump iron ore in the market and only iron ore fines are available, which need suitable beneficiation and pelletisation before they can be used as feed stock. Therefore, the company has proposed to set up a pellet unit in Dhenkanal.

"The Environment Ministry has considered the application based on the recommendations of the Expert Appraisal Committee (Industry-I) and decided to grant the Environmental Clearance to the project," a senior government official said.

The environment clearance has been given subject to strict compliance of specific and general conditions, the official added.

The total cost of the project is estimated to be Rs 3,000 crore. It covers the cost of pelletising facility, wet grinding station, material handling systems and pellet distribution systems.

The proposed project will utilise the rich iron ore fines, dust and slimes available in the Joda-Barbil iron ore mining region of Odisha. The proposed pellet plant will help BSL strengthen its availability of feed to blast furnace and Direct Reduced Iron (DRI) plants.

Among conditions specified, the company has been asked to develop green belt in at least 33 per cent of the project area and earmark 2.5 per cent of the total cost of the project towards enterprise social commitment.

BSL has been asked to prepare a detailed CSR plan for every year for the next five years for the existing-cum- expansion project.

It has also been asked to provide LED lights in the offices and residential areas to be constructed within the project area.