Bhattacharjee: Vote fishing?

Purulia, April 6: Chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee today “dedicated to the nation” a 900MW hydel power project in Purulia and said the government was keen to create job opportunities in the backward district.

The government is mulling an eco-tourism project on Ayodhya hills, where the power unit is also located, and a clutch of steel plants are coming up across Purulia.

“We are anxious to create job opportunities for the people here. Balaji, Shyam and Adhunik groups will set up steel plants while an eco-tourism project will come up on Ayodhya hills. All these projects will provide jobs to youths from this district,” the chief minister said.

Of the four 225MW units in the Ayodhya plant, two started commercial generation by November. The other two began in February.

A day late and the chief minister couldn’t have tom-tomed the government’s job drive. The panchayat polls will be notified tomorrow and the model code of conduct will come into force immediately.

Bhattacharjee had earlier been accused of promoting Calcutta-centric development.

The Ayodhya plant is Bengal’s first “pumped storage hydel” project. Water from a tank at the ground level is pumped up to an overhead reservoir during off-peak hours. It is released between 6pm and 10pm through a dam to generate electricity.

“The four units are now generating 600-700MW on an average every evening,” an official said.

Sources said the Jai Balaji group is setting up a steel plant at a cost of Rs 16,000 crore. The Adhunik group will invest Rs 7,200 crore on a 1.1 million-tonne steel mill, a 1,000MW captive power plant and a cement unit. Land acquisition for the projects is under way.

Shyam Steel has sought 1,200 acres for a 1.1 million-tonne plant at Raghunathpur.

Neighbouring Bankura will house an industry hub.

Land acquisition is relatively easy in Purulia and Bankura because they are mostly barren. Proximity to ore-rich Jharkhand also works in their favour.

The chief minister said another hydel plant would come up at Turga on Ayodhya hills.

He has asked the power minister to discuss the eco-tourism venture with the tourism minister.