Even as JK Paper, one of the pioneers in paper manufacturing and marketing is awaiting the green signal from the Orissa State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB) to implement its Rs 1500-crore expansion plan at Jaykaypur in Rayagada district, social activists have raised concerns over the company's expansion plan.
Stating that the company's expansion plan would pollute the waters of River Nagabali, the activists have urged the OSPCB authorities to look into the live and livelihoods of thousands of people living on the banks of the river before allowing the project.
The company has planned to set up a new pulp mill with a capacity of0.2 million tonnes per annum and paper a capacity of 0.15 million tonnes at an investment of around Rs 1500-crore. The company has set a target to commence the operations of the new plant in the second half of 2012. Similarly, it has planed to scale up its captive power plant (CPP) from 35 MW to 55 MW.
“Due to such expansion, the requirement of chemicals for processing the pulp will also go up and the unit will be discharging effluents to the river, making the Nagabali hazardous”, Dandapani Mohanty, general secretary, Orissa Forest Mazdoor Union had said at the public hearing for the expansion plan conducted recently by the OSPCB near Rayagada.The OSPCB had issued showcause notice to JK Paper because the company did not follow the emission control norms, pointed out Prafulla Samantara, a noted social activist, who is spearheading the 'Save Nagabali River' campaign.
“It’s a public hearing and anybody can raise any issue there”, said one of the senior officers of the company. The company also claimed that its existing water treatment plant is one of the best treatment plants in the country.
“We will adopt the latest technology for expansion of the plant and this plant will not consume much water. Similarly, the company would adopt better technology so that the pollution would be less”, said M C Goel, vice president (executive) of the company.Claiming that the company has been complying strictly with the pollution norms, he said, “Different agencies in different times have praised the firm for its pollution control norms”.
Due to its adherence to ethical practices over the years and implementation of the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives, the company has received several national and international awards, said another senior company official.