BERHAMPUR: Even as six panchayats of Chhatrapur block in Ganjam district vehemently oppose the proposal to set up an ammonium nitrate plant by Smartchem Technologies Limited (STL), an official of the company said the project will help assert Odisha’s dominance in mining chemicals on the world stage.
Residents of Kalipali, Sriramchandrapur, Chamakhandi, Narayanpur, Aryapalli and Kanamana have been resisting the proposed project alleging the plant will increase pollution in the area. However, Srimat Ray of STL said the plant will be instrumental in stabilising the domestic market for mining chemicals and lower the need for import of ammonium nitrate. It will also help the nation become self-reliant, he added.
Once commissioned, the plant will produce 377 KTPA technical ammonium nitrate, a vital component in not just mining of coal, limestone, steel and other metals but also a critical element in road/infra industries. The chemical also has applications in the pharmaceutical industry for manufacturing of anaesthetic gases used in hospitals. Technical ammonium nitrate in its solid form (prill or crystal) is a white and odourless product.
STL is a wholly owned subsidiary of Deepak Fertilisers And Petrochemicals Corporation Limited (DFPCL) established in 1979. It supports critical sectors of the economy such as infrastructure, mining, chemicals, pharmaceutical and agriculture.