At a time when the demand for returning the lands acquired for industries in Ganjam district is growing shriller, The TATA Steel managing director’s visit to Ganjam district seems to have settled things for now.

Mr HM Nerurkar MD of TATA Steel along with VP Orissa projects Mr Hrideyshwar Jha visited Ganjam district on Tuesday to take stock of the progress of the proposed projects. They had an informal meeting with Ganjam district collector Mr Kishen Kumar and MD of Gopalpur Ports Limited Mr Mahimanandan Mishra.

Gopalpur Industrial Park project is planned on 3,300 acres of land taken over by the company in 1995 for its now shelved mega steel plant project near Gopalpur port.

TATA Steel, being the anchor investor, has announced a ferrochrome industry with a capacity of around 55,000 tonne a year besides four million tonne capacity rubber industry and a desalination plant. The three units are scheduled to go for production from 2013.

However, as no progress was made even after seven months of the foundation, the displaced families whose lands were acquired started agitation demanding return of their lands.

According to the discussion between TATA Steel, GPL and district administration, TATA Steel would have its own berth and a jetty at Gopalpur Port at INR 60 crore for transportation of its proposed production.

However, till the construction of the berth, the port would provide a rebate of around 50% to TATA Steel for transportation.

(Sourced from Express News Service, The New Indian Express)