The draft report on the impact assessment study of nine industrial projects in Orissa is expected to be submitted soon to the state government by the Hyderabad-based Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI).
Sources said, ASCI has completed the process of primary data collection in respect of these projects and it would submit its draft report to the government within a week. ASCI was engaged by the state government last year to undertake the impact assessment study of nine industrial projects in Orissa to examine and understand the issues pertaining to rehabilitation and resettlement (R&R). The state government had selected nine projects- Vedanta Aluminum’s refinery project at Lanjigarh in Kalahandi district, the steel projects of JSL, Neelachal Ispat Nigam Limited (NINL) and Bhusan Power and Steel at Kalinganagar in Jajpur district, Mahanadi Coalfield Limited’s (MCL) coal mining project at Anugul, Vedanta’s aluminium smelter project at Jharsuguda, Harabhangi medium irrigation project in Gajapati district and the Badanala irrigation project in Rayagada district.
The objective of the study was to understand the impact of these projects on the displaced and other affected families. Moreover, the purpose of undertaking the study was to examine the status of the resettlement colonies, find out the strengths and limitations of the R&R process, assess living standards of the people in the post displacement period and test whether the compensation packages have added value towards sustainable livelihood.
The study would also assess the impact of displacement on the marginalized groups like SC & ST and check whether their community life has strengthened or deteriorated in the post displacement period.
Besides, the study is also aimed at knowing gender specific vulnerabilities and risk in R&R, assess the effectiveness of the various service delivery mechanism established under various policies and examine the effectiveness of the mechanism dealing with grievance, compensation and rehabilitation.
