Expedite K Nagar NMIZ infra growth: Industry body

Jajpur: Kalinga Nagar Industries Association (KNIA) has shot off a letter to the State Government to expedite various infrastructural developments in the industrial complex under the Kalinga Nagar National Manufacturing Investment Zone (NMIZ).

In a letter to the Chief Secretary and the Chief Development Commissioner, KNIA president P L Kandoi said the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry and the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) had granted approval to set up Kalinga Nagar NMIZ, proposed by the State Government, in 2019. NMIZ in Kalinga Nagar of Jajpur holds the distinction of being one of the 17 NMIZs in the country spread over 163 sq km, the letter stated.

Accordingly, IDCO, the nodal agency of the State, was asked to prepare a detailed project report covering rail, road, water and air infrastructures, including sewage and effluent treatment and solid waste management in Kalinga Nagar NMIZ. However, the execution of the proposed activities is yet to start even three years after the Central Government's nod.

Over the last two decades, many industries such as TATA, JSL, JSW, TSML, VISA, MAITHAN, BRPL, Nu VISTA and KJ ISPAT have established their units in Kalinga Nagar industrial complex. However, the supporting infrastructure in Kalinga Nagar is woefully inadequate to deal with the expansion of the steel plant.

Moreover, the existing operations of these units are getting affected due to lack of adequate centralised facilities, especially storm water management, sewerage treatment and surface runoff treatment facilities.

The industries in Kalinga Nagar have installed world class technology like Effluent Treatment Plants (ETPs), Reverse Osmosis (RO) plants, Neutralisation Pits and Surface Run-Off Treatment Systems (SRTS) to comply with the zero processed water discharge conditions issued by State Pollution Control Board (SPCB). However, the excessive volume of storm water gushing from the upper catchment area and flowing through the industries to the inland areas has become an obstacle for the industrial growth in Kalinga Nagar.

"While the industries here are aggressively working towards increasing their production to achieve their rated capacities and expansion post the improvement in the pandemic situation, some vested interests have been creating hurdles in Kalinga Nagar industries which is detrimental to the economic growth of the State," the letter stated.