IndiaCSR News Network
LANJIGARH: The public hearing at Lanjigarh to decide Sesa Sterlite Ltd (SSL) Lanjigarh Aluminium refinery expansion project concluded successfully on Wednesday in presence of district administration of Kalahandi and the authorities of the State Pollution Control Board (SPCB).
The public hearing was held by the SPCB on basis of SSL’s fresh application for environmental clearance to expand the refinery from its present capacity of 1 Million Tonne (MT) to 6 MT.
When contacted, SSL’s spokesperson said, “The public hearing concluded successfully in a peaceful atmosphere. The company continues to hold on to its vision for overall growth of Kalahandi and expansion of the refinery will play a key role in achieving the same. People of Lanjigarh have now understood that the economic growth of the area will lead to their overall prosperity.”
More than a thousand people attended the event and showcased positive attitude towards allowing SSL for the expansion.
Sreedhar Pesnia, President, Lanjigarh Anchalika Bikas Parishad said, “SSL is playing a key role in overall socio-economic growth of the area. Additional operations at the plant will mean more employment and economic empowerment of the people of Kalahandi.”
Binod Gaud, President, Lanjigarh Yuva Sangha said, “We have supported the expansion of the project as it will open fresh avenues for the youth of the district, who for decades have continued to migrate to other states in search of employment.”
Block Chairman Mrs Sasmita Majhi said, “People of Lanjigarh have shown immense interest in expansion of the refinery in hopes of employment and economic prosperity. SSL has played a key role in changing the district’s socio-economic landscape and people expect the expansion will boost the ongoing growth drive.”
The public hearing comes as huge boost for the aluminium division of SSL as people close to the development have revealed that the state government is in the verge of allocating three laterite mines to the company to meet the immediate raw material requirements of the refinery. The expansion of the refinery is expected to boost the overall industrial climate of Odisha.
