Land scout for AMNS project begins

KENDRAPARA:  Ground work for Arcelor Mittal Nippon Steel (AMNS) India’s proposed mega steel plant in Kendrapara district has gathered steam. A team of officers along with the company executives on Thursday visited seaside villages under Mahakalapada block scouting land for the project.

The team visited Badatubi, Sanatubi, Hetamundia, Kansaradia, Nipania, Batighar and other villages to take stock of land availability. On March 3, the State government had signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with  AMNS for setting up a 12 MT integrated steel plant in Kendrapara district with a proposed investment of Rs 50,000 crore.

Sub-Collector of Kendrapara Niranjan Behera said a joint team of district administration of AMNS was in the villages for identification of land for the project as Arcelor Mittal is looking for a location. He was accompanied by DFO of Bhitarkanika National Park JD Pati and former DFO Bikash Ranjan Dash. 

Acquiring land for the project will require clearances at multiple levels since most villages have mangrove forest. “Under Forest Rights Act, no forest land can be given to anyone until all rights of the people in the area are recognised and consent obtained for a project. This is the requirement as per law and it has been acknowledged by an Environment Ministry order of August 3, 2009,” said Asit Mandal, a resident of Batighar village.

The State administration will also be aware of the sustained resistance of residents of Dhinkia, Nuagaon and other villages in neighbouring Jagatsinghpur district that forced South Korean steel company POSCO to call off its big-ticket project four years back. 

Bhikari Mohanty, a social worker said, the State government is keen to sign MoUs with corporates and to practically gift away deposits of iron ores for a meagre royalty. “People of these areas are determined not to allow government to forcefully acquire their land,” he claimed.