BHUBANESWAR: Several industrial houses have flagged land acquisition hurdles, delay in allotment of land by Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (Idco), local protests, discrepancies in some policies and lack of support from transport and labour unions as major impediments behind the pending projects.
At the recent State Project Monitoring Group (SPMG) meeting chaired by Chief Secretary Suresh Chandra Mahapatra, 11 project proponents, including IOCL, BPCL, GAIL, JSW (Cement), Shiva Cement and AKM Agro brought several issues to the notice of the government seeking immediate resolution.
Sources said BPCL, which is setting up a carbon dioxide bottling plant near its proposed bioethanol refinery at Bargarh on Build Own Operate and Transfer (BOOT) basis, had sought 7.7 acres of land from Idco.
Since the oil company is not in the direct business of CO2 and considering intricacies of the process, marketing, logistics and reliable consumer network, it is planning to engage a specialised agency for trapping CO2 to be generated from the integrated bioethanol refinery for which it demanded early approval of land.
Similarly, the acquisition of 101.46 acres of land has been delayed due to a lack of clearances from irrigation, minor irrigation, lift irrigation, mega lift irrigation, and the geology department by Idco. Earlier, IPICOL had recommended Idco allot around eight-acre of land in favour of JSW Cement Ltd for its Jajpur cement plant expansion. The company has urged the agency to expedite the process to execute the land lease at the earliest.
Sources said the pipeline laying work between Paradip and Somanathpur section has been affected due to delayed issuance of the right of way (RoW) following resistance of villagers and land owners in Balasore district. Of the 164 km pipeline project, laying has been completed in 163 km sparing one km.
Similarly, the laying of the pipeline from Somanathpur to the Odisha border has also been disrupted due to the RoW issues. Of the 82.5 km project, laying has been completed in 75.5 km and no work has been done in seven km that falls in Balasore district due to protests from villagers.
For the Dhamra-Haldia gas pipeline, GAIL has been facing protests from locals, who have demanded 100 per cent compensation, the job for all land owners and two-year crop compensation for the whole plot of land. Of the 44 km in the district, a pipe of 13 km is yet to be laid.
Forest clearance for another 13 km area in Khurda, Kendrapara, Cuttack, Bhadrak and Dhenkanal is required for GAIL’s spur line to Paradip, Bhubaneswar and Cuttack. “The issues were discussed at the SPMG meeting and authorities and collectors’ concerned directed to resolve on a priority basis,” said an Industry department official.