The Orissa government has taken a series of measures to protect the environment in the Kalinganagar area, the upcoming steel hub, where a number of steel and forro-alloys units are being set up by companies like Tata Steel, VISA Steel, Jindal Stainless, Dinabandhu Steel and Rohit Ferro-tech.
The industries located in that area have been asked to adopt modern, state of art production technology to control air and water pollution.
A common treatment, storage and disposal facility (TSDF) for hazardous waste is under development at Kanchichua in Sukinda. The facility is being set up over 70 acres of land with an investment of Rs 40 crore.
A comprehensive regional environmental impact study was conducted by the Industrial Promotion and Investment Corporation of Orissa Limited (Ipicol) for Kalinganagr industrial area through MECON. The industries coming up in that area have also been asked to develop adequate green belt in and around their establishment.
Sources said, during 2005-06 to 2007-08, forty hectares block plantation was taken up and 1, 40,000 seedlings were distributed in Kalinganagar area. There is also proposal for raising 15 running kilometers of avenue plantations in the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) during the next fiscal in Korei constituency.
Similarly, the state government, through the State Pollution Control Board (SPCB), has ensured installation of effluent treatment plant (ETP) in all chromite mines in the state having hexavalent chromium in their mine discharge. The treated waste water normally conforms to the prescribed norms before being discharged outside.
Further, to minimise leaching of hexavalent chromium through run off from over burden dumps, steps such as garland drain, toe wall and terracing with plantation are taken up.