Trade unions in West Bengal have come together to fight against the ruling party Trinamool Congress (TMC) in their bid to get going a Rs 17,000-crore project of the IISCO Steel Plant in this industrial city of Bardhaman district.
At the crux of the problem is a 20ftx20ft green patch. That stretch of land is home to a tribal deity, going by the claim of 230-odd people who are supported by the party of Mamata Banerjee, now the state’s chief minister. The site, with the idol of Jhodabudi, is on the despatch route of the plant. Thus, it has been holding to ransom several projects under a modernisation programme of the Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL) that owns the IISCO plant in Asansol subdivision.
The situation has led to the formation of a Save IISCO Committee. Its representatives note that more than Rs 12,000 crore of the total Rs 17,000 crore has already been invested. “Now, just 230 people are standing in the way of this project. We cannot let this prolong,” said one of the commitee’s representatives.
The body has written on this to the CM. “The government should step in,” the representative said. “If it doesn’t, we will do a dharna at the Jhodabudi site.”
The ongoing IISCO modernisation, which has pretty much changed the complexion of Burnpur, is supposed to be commissioned by the middle of next year. But not without the Jhodabudi site.
N K Jha, chief executive officer of the plant, says operations can be carried out at 60 per cent capacity without the controversial piece of land. “The coke-oven battery is ready, but we can’t start it,” he notes. “SAIL is suffering from huge coke shortage. IISCO would have gained if it could supply the coke to other units of SAIL.”
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It’s not that there isn’t a way out of the impasse, some suggest. Their tip: IISCO can save its programme by providing jobs to the 230 people. On its part, the TMC says it will launch a protest movement if the company tries shifting the site. But what if the company is willing to give jobs? “Then we will speak to the land losers and convince them,” says local TMC councillor Pavitra Majhi.
SAIL chairman C S Verma says shifting the site would mean extra time and cost overrun. “What’s more, have paid compensation to these people. Now, when the project is at an advanced stage of implementation, they are demanding jobs,” he points out. “Also, the entire layout of the plant will have to be changed for just 10 per cent of the work that is remaining. Around 22,000 people are currently working on the project.”
Giving jobs to land losers is part of the new state government’s land policy, says state commerce and industry minister Partha Chatterjee. “This is our land policy. I have been to the place earlier,” he adds. “Just because the government has changed, we can’t go back on our word. The company should come and meet me.”
The patch in question is part of the 353 acres IISCO acquired almost a quarter century ago for modernisation and expansion. Most of this is primarily agricultural land — with no dwelling unit — and belonged to (adjacent) Puroshottampur village. During the land acquisition in the late 1980s, the total compensation amount after valuation was about Rs 1 crore. Of this, Rs 88 lakh was paid to the government as compensation.
Physical occupation of the land, however, did not happen. This was because the villagers filed a case, seeking employment and higher compensation. In 2006, Calcutta High Court ordered the government to acquire the 353-acre land once again and pay the present market price. That shot up IISCO’s liability by Rs 48.44 crore. The order was silent on employment.
The Save ISSCO Committee notes that there were six blockades, and the company has cleared all. “Jhodabudi is the only one remaining,” a member notes. “The villagers have not allowed the construction of the entire boundary wall; it has a 20-metre gap. It is the state government’s loss, the CM must take it up.”
For now, the limbo lingers.