JSW Bengal Steel's EIA soon

KOLKATA: A public hearing would be held on August 17 for environmental impact assessment (EIA) of JSW Bengal Steel's proposed Rs 10,000-crore plant at Salboni in West Bnegal with a capacity of three million tons per annum.

The public hearing by the district magistrate of West Midnapore would take place near the plant site in the presence of officials of the Ministry of Environment and Forests, JSW Bengal Steel Managing Director B Gupta said.

The report would be submitted to the ministry, following which an approval would be given for setting up the plant, he said.

Gupta said that EIA was required by law for all category I industries.

Speaking about land acquisition, Gupta said the company was directly acquiring nearly 500 acre from the farmers by paying market prices. He said that the company would get another 4500 acre from the state government very soon.

According to him, the company would have to shell out around Rs 100 crore for the 5,000 acres.

Gupta said that the entire land acquisition process was expected to be over by the Durga Puja. Construction of the boundary wall would follow, he said.