Projects in mining districts on fast track

BHUBANESWAR: The Oversight Authority on Odisha Mineral Bearing Areas Development Corporation (OMBADC) has sanctioned projects worth `8,906 crore for Keonjhar, Sundargarh, Mayurbhanj and Jajpur districts. 

The sanctioned projects included mega piped drinking water supply to individual households, infrastructure upgradation in schools and health institutions, modernisation of ITIs, skill development, quality improvement in ICDS, horticultural activities, water harvesting and recharge of ground water, road connectivity and installation of automatic air quality monitoring systems.

At a meeting chaired by Justice (retired) A K Patnaik, it was decided to go ahead with tendering process for completion of the projects within the scheduled time to avoid cost escalation.

Chief Secretary A P Padhi directed the implementing departments to expedite the process and work out the detailed project reports (DPRs) within shortest possible time. As per the Supreme Court order, OMBADC funds will be utilised in identified priority areas.

Additional Chief Secretary of Steel and Mines Raj Kumar Sharma informed the meeting that the mining and mineral transport in Joda and Koida circles were well below the defined limit. He said for keeping pollution level below the threshold limit, the State Government has been following carrying capacity principles in matters of mining activities. 

In 2017-18, the mineral transport from Odisha was around 102 million tonne against NEERI (National Environmental Engineering Research Institute) recommendation of 129 million tonne. The national institute has recommended transportation of 153 million tonne of minerals for 2018-19. Sharma assured that the actual mineral transport during 2018-19 would be kept below the recommended limit. 

Member Secretary of Odisha State Pollution Control Board Debidatta Biswal said the actual pollution level is well below the threshold limit as per the data availed from automatic air quality monitoring centres installed at mining and transport points. The pollution level occasionally goes above prescribed limit only at one point of transport junction near Bhadrasahi Chowk. 

Justice Patnaik, who made field inspection of the projects taken up under OMBADC and District Mineral Fund (DMF), expressed satisfaction over the kind of projects taken up, particularly in the sectors of multi-lingual education for main-streaming the tribal children, residential hostels for ST and SC students, drinking water supply, technical education, improvement in health services, skill development and educational development. 

Chief Executive Officer of OMBADC Uma Nanduri presented the administrative, financial and technical details of the proposed projects by various departments.

Priority areas
Piped drinking water supply to individual households
Infrastructure upgradation in schools and health institutions
Modernisation of ITIs and skill development
Water harvesting and recharge of ground water
Installation of automatic air quality monitoring systems