Power move

Ranchi, May 5: Jindal Steel and Power Limited (JSPL), which is planning to set up a 2,640MW power plant in Sikaripara and Raneshwar blocks of Dumka district, has expedited its corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities to win over villagers.

A slew of welfare programmes have been started by the JSPL authorities to woo disgruntled and anxious residents of the two blocks.

The move has been prompted by recurring attacks on JSPL employees in these two blocks of the district.

Employees of the steel and power major have been attacked whenever they ventured into villages and tried to interact with the rural masses. The dominant belief is that JSPL is conspiring to usurp their ancestral land.

On April 28, the mine unit of JSPL, based in Dumka, handed over merit certificates to 10 youths who underwent driving lessons as a part of the company’s CSR initiative.

Most of them were from the Amarkonda coal block area. The block is spread over about 750 hectares for which JSPL has obtained prospecting license (PL), a prerequisite before mining lease.

This coal block will provide fuel to the proposed power plant in Dumka.

“Our plan is not to produce power alone. We are also trying to bring light into the lives of people here. We are running evening schools and also providing solar lamps among villagers, as there is acute power shortage in these pockets. The company is committed to development of the area,” Sabyasachi De, the assistant general manager (human resource) told The telegraph.

JSPL executive director O.P. Jha, who was present during the merit certificate distribution function, said all successful candidates would be provided with employment once the plant became operational.

Apart from the Dumka project, the JSPL is also planning to set up a 1,000MW thermal power unit in neighbouring Godda district. The company has obtained mining rights over Jitpur coal block in the same district.

The company needs over 2,000 acres in Dumka and Godda for the two projects and has applied to the district administration for the same.

It can only adopt the government acquisition route in Santhal Pargana and is thus wooing villagers with sops.