The much criticized and notoriously famous Bantala Complex, spread over 1,100 acres is set to get an effluent treatment system that would rid the campus of its woes.
The West Bengal government has put in motion a proposal requiring an investment of Rs 107 crore for setting up a solid waste management plant at Bantala.
The campus that was set up after the Supreme Court directive requiring tanneries to be moved out of Tangra, given their propensity to pollute earlier had an effluent treatment system that was deemed largely insufficient for dealing with the requirements of the complex.
“We will set up a Rs 107 crore solid waste management plant at Bantala, given the requirement of the tanneries, classified as red letter industries”, said Nirupam Sen, West Bengal minister for commerce and industry.
The complex, which has about 150 acres set aside for a dedicated information technology (IT) special economic zone (SEZ) has come under the scanner in the past for flouting pollution norms.
Of the Rs 107 crore, the state government would ask for a 70 per cent grant from the Ministry of Environment and Forests, while the rest will be borne by the state government.
“The tender process is complete. Ramco Environment has been selected as the executing agency for the project. The company will be responsible for strategizing, executing and maintaining the plant”, Sen said.
The main objective declared after in the agreement signed in 1995, between West Bengal government and the developer of the complex, ML Dalmiya, was aimed at the relocation of tanneries from the city to a controlled environment.
Besides this the idea was also the development of a leather township outside the city that would be aimed at exports with the ability to compete with similar projects in Chennai and Kanpur.
Patni at Bantala
The IT SEZ at the Bantala is all set to have a new entrant. The recently iGate acquired Patni Infotech is has also taken land at the complex.
"The campus spread over 130 acres with the entry of Patni no longer has space for any more companies. It is full. Over the next 2-3 years, besides IT, infrastructure companies such as Technopolis have also taken land", state IT minister, Debesh Das.
