R Krishna Das
Raipur, April 14
Chhattisgarh Government is in pickle for private investment in the state; ousting big ticket investments but rolling out carpet for the local entities.
The Congress government led by Bhupesh Baghel had returned the land to the villagers that were acquired for Tata Steel’s mega project proposed in Bastar. It was part of the party’s election vows. The state government’s protest against privatization of Nagarnar Steel Plant and mining of private firms in the down southern part of the region also did not send a positive message in the corporate fraternity.
The state government had been opposing big private industries but was extending support to the local entities. The state-run Chhattisgarh Environment Conservation Board (CECB) gave approval to a project in Bastar where the state government had been opposing private investment. Following the notification of CECB, the district administration organised a public hearing on Monday.
The proceedings were to get villagers consent for setting up 0.8 MTPA Pellization plant besides 335000 TPA sponge iron units in Chapka block. The project of Gopal Sponge and Power Limited entails an investment of Rs 490 crore. Surprisingly, prohibitory order was effective following chaotic COVID-10 spread but the location administration went ahead with the work.
The opposition BJP had raised the issue and asked why the public hearing was organised in haste when the prohibitory order under section 144 was effective. “For whose benefits the state government organised the public hearing amidst odd circumstances,” former minister and senior BJP leader Kedar Kashyap said.
Interestingly, the public hearing was marred by large scale violence. Even the MLA of the ruling party, Chandan Kashyap and senior officials of the board and administration were chased away by the mob.
Ironically, on the same day, another public hearing was organised just a day before lockdown in Sarguja region. Maa Kudargarhi Alumina Refinery Pvt Ltd (MKARPL) proposes to set up a greenfield alumina refinery (300,000 TPA) and captive cogeneration power plant (3 x 10 MW). The proposed unit will be located at village Chiranga, tehsil Batauli and public hearing was organised to get villagers’ consents.
The COVID-19 protocols were set aside as a large number of villagers turned up to protest against the project of a private firm. For the first time, an official conducting the proceedings was brutally bashed up by the villagers.
Though the state government could not be reached for its version on its stand apropos private investment, experts felt that many carried the perception that government was against private investment. The earlier action of Bhupesh Baghel government related to Tata and Nagarnar literally endorsed it. People were confused on government’s stand as it had promoted two private parties for which the public hearings were conducted on Monday.
“Yes, it is the double standard of the Chhattisgarh government on private investment,” state’s prominent environment activist and convenor of Chhattisgarh Bachao Andolan Alok Shukla said. Both the villages are covered under fifth schedule and without the consent of gram sabha, no project can come up, he said. “It is quite surprising that the government conducted the public hearing in haste and at a time people were struggling with pandemic,” he added.
