Power major to join green class - Jindal Steel inks deal with ISM Dhanbad for environment management

Learning block

Ranchi, Oct. 6: Aggressively pursuing ambitious projects in the Santhal Pargana region, Jindal Steel and Power Limited (JSPL) has found its guru in Indian School of Mines (ISM), Dhanbad.

The steel major today signed an MoU with ISM for expertise in environment and water resources management, mining moderation and training and development.

JSPL and its group company Gagan Power Limited are setting up 3,960MW power plants in Godda and Dumka districts of Santhal Pargana for which they have already been allotted two coal mining blocks in the region.

“We want ISM to help us in the field of environment management because it is a vital issue that concerns all. Besides, we want to train and develop local skills. These people will be employed in the company’s upcoming power plants. We want to acquire land with their consent,” O.P. Jha, JSPL’s executive director (mining and power) for Godda and Dumka told The Telegraph.

JSPL has been allotted 750 acres of mining area in Jeetpur, Godda, and 1,850 acres in Amarkonda, Dumka, where it plans to set up pit-head thermal power plants within a 10km radius of respective coal blocks.

The power produced in these plants will be utilised in Patratu (Ramgarh) and Asanboni (Jamshedpur) steel units of the company. The state will get 25 per cent of the power share while the company will be allowed to sell the rest.

A.K. Biruli, the assistant vice-president (corporate affairs) of JSPL, said the MoU with ISM would benefit both the company as well as people of the region.

Sources said the ISM would also extend help in areas like community development, water resources engineering, analytical work for characterisation of coal, besides manpower planning and restructuring. Water management will be the most vital area. ISM experts may suggest construction of check dams and small reservoirs to ensure that rainwater is not wasted.

Jha said JSPL intended to start coal mining in six phases so that local residents were least affected. ISM, on its part, will help in reclamation of areas where mining is over.