By Our Correspondent
BARBIL/JODA/CHAMPUA: Local environmentalists, green activists and wildlife experts in Keonjhar have expressed serious concerns after more than 3480 Sal and other tree fall for Sajjan Jindal led JSW Steel’s Slurry Pipeline from Joda mining circle to its Paradip plant project in Jagatsinghpur.
Construction works to lay slurry pipeline from Joda Mining circle in Keonjhar to Paradip in Jagatsinghpur is underway and for which, there were 3,480 tree are being felled to clear for the project. But locals alleged that the number is more.
It may be noted here that National Highway No-20 passing through reserve forest but for the slurry pipeline, large number of tree were felled.
Till date more than 2,500 tree were felled under Gatagaon and Keonjhar Sadar forest ranges which included 1113 under Ghatagaon and 1,431 tree under Keonjhar Sadar range.
Similarly tree falling not begin under Champua Range, where 291 trees slated to be felled soon. In total , 3,480 tree will be felled , sources added.
Locals of Keonjhar have been opposing JSW Slurry pipeline as some 4000 Trucks and Lorries will be left job less with minerals are being transported through pipelines not through by roads and trains.
JSW Utkal Steel Limited (JUSL) has proposed to lay one of the world’s largest slurry pipeline system for transportation of iron ore fines from its proposed Grinding, De-sliming Plants & Slurry pumping Station at Gobardhanpur, Barbil Tahasil in Keonjhar District to proposed Integrated Steel Plant at Paradeep, Jagatsinghpur.
As part of the process, the company said it will undertake relocation of grown Sal trees to be felled over the area identified by the Forest Department preferable along the NH-215 (now N11-20) but locals saying something other. JSW Steel said it had planted around 300 saplings in Jajang, Nuagaon, Narayanposhi and Ganua mineral blocks owned by it.
