The Union ministry of environment and forests (MoEF), which had issued a showcause notice to Jindal Steel & Power Ltd (JSPL) for revocation of environment clearance, has extended the time for filing of reply by two weeks.
The MoEF had served the notice on the company on November 22 after allegations that the company had started construction work on non-forest land without forest clearance at Kerjang, the site of its Rs 13,000-crore integrated steel and power complex in Angul district.
JSPL was asked to respond by December 14 but has now been given an extension of two weeks in view of the request made by the company, which had sought an extension of one month for filing the response.
In its letter to the ministry dated December 7, JSPL had stated that some of the officers working for the project had either been shifted to other project sites of the company or have left the organization due to non-availability of educational, medical and other facilities at the project site.
JSPL had further stated that the company authorities were in the process of collecting information but it would not be possible on their part to file the response within December 14.
The ministry has now directed the company to file its response to the showcause notice by December 29 failing which appropriate orders as deemed fit will be passed under the circumstances of the case without further notice.
The MoEF had slapped a showcause notice on JSPL for non-compliance with the conditions of environmental clearance granted to its six million tonne per annum (mtpa) steel plant and 1000 Mw Captive Power Plant (CPP) at Kerjang.
More From This Section
Earlier the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of Angul division had issued a showcause notice to JSPL on July 6 last year to stop construction work like storage godown, roads, and foundation for industrial activities like power plant, stockyard and plant mill undertaken on non-forest government land till forest clearance is obtained.
While according the prior environment clearance, the ministry had specified a condition.
According to which no construction activity at the project site shall be initiated till the approval for 168.232 hectares (415.695 acres) of forest land is obtained under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980. Stating that serious non-compliance with the stipulated environment conditions mandate commensurate action, the ministry has questioned as to why the environment clearance granted to the company on February 22, 2007 for the project could not be revoked.