M/s. Shyam Sel Limited, Jamuria, Dist. - West Bengal Pollution ...

PROCEEDINGS OF THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE PROPOSED INTEGRATED 

STEEL PLANT (1.00 MTPA) AND CAPTIVE POWER PLANT (2x250 MW) AT 

JAMURIA, PO-BAHADURPUR, DIST. - BURDWAN, WEST BENGAL, PROPOSED 

BY M/S. SHYAM SEL LIMITED, HELD ON 15.07.2008 AT THE MEETING HALL 

OF JAMURIA PANCHAYAT SAMITY, JAMURIA, WEST BENGAL 

M/s. Shyam Sel Limited submitted an application to West Bengal Pollution Control Board for 

conducting a Public Hearing for the proposed Integrated Steel Plant (1.00 MTPA) and Captive 

Power Plant (2x250 MW) at Jamuria, PO - Bahadurpur, Dist. - Burdwan, West Bengal. As per 

the EIA Notification S.O. 1533 dated 14 th September, 2006 of the MoEF, Govt. of India, 

Environmental Clearance of the said project is required to be obtained from the MoEF, Govt. 

of India after conducting the Public Hearing. 

Accordingly, West Bengal Pollution Control Board after observing all formalities, held the 

Public Hearing on 15 th July, 2008 at 11.00 hrs. at the Meeting Hall of Jamuria Panchayat 

Samity, Jamuria, West Bengal. All the panel members were present in the hearing 

Dr.Archana, Additional District Magistrate, Asansol presided over the hearing. List of the 

panel members and the others present in the public hearing is enclosed. 

The hearing started with a welcome note from Dr. T. K. Gupta, Chief Engineer, WBPCB. He 

explained about the provisions of the above stated MoEF Notification and also informed the 

audience about the draft proposal of M/s Shyam Sel Limited for setting up a integrated steel 

plant at Jamuria. The Project Proponent was then asked to explain the details about the 

proposed project for discussion among the panel members and others present in the hearing. 

Sri Sabyasachi Ghosh, President , M/s. Shyam Sel Limited, narrated about the project details 

and the proposed pollution control devices through Power Point presentation emphasizing on 

the likely environmental impacts arising out of the same as well as the proposed pollution 

abatement measures to be taken by them. He has pointed out a brief description has been 

already circulated among the people present at hearing. The project includes proposal for 

setting up of Coal Washery, Non recovery type Coke Oven plant, pelletisation plant, sintering 

plant, mini blast furnaces (MBF), Rotary kilns for production of sponge iron, Steel Melting 

Shop, Ferro alloy units and other steel making units and Captive Power Plant (CPP). The 

Captive Power plant (CPP) shall have coal based boilers in addition to waste heat recovery 

boilers and FBC boilers for char utilization. He has mentioned about their emission control 

proposal for each units. He stressed on the need for inclusion of sponge iron units in integrated 

steel industries to meet the market demands and expressed his hope that the proposed unit 

shall improve the overall economic situation at Jamuria. He has also confirmed that the local 

people shall be consulted in each stage of the projects and the Shyam group is planning for 

initiating social responsibility programmes like setting up vocational training institute, eye 

camp, sports and recreational activity etc. 

Mr. Bhushan Agarwal, MD supplemented this technical presentation by confirming that the 

dolo char shall be 100% utilized in the FBC based boilers of proposed CPP, no wastewater 

shall be discharged outside the plant, and ground water shall not be extracted as one project 

for intake of water from riverbed of Ajay is under consideration. He has also mentioned that 

they would generate employment for local people and take neighboring villagers into 

confidence in each stage of project. 

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During the discussion the panel members and the others present in the public hearing made 

queries / suggestions with respect to the proposed project, which are noted below: 

Sri Shambhu Hansda, Dhasna village, welcomed the proposed project with all the 

commitments made by the PP during their presentation. He informed that they want the 

industry along with infrastructural support and employment for local people. 

Sri Dulal Misra, Dhasna village, mentioned about the their bitter experience from the 

problems caused by existing sponge iron plants which pollute River. He expressed concern 

about the chances of additional pollution burden from this proposed integrated steel industry 

with sponge iron units. He informed about the tendency of existing units to run the plant 

without emission control devices. He contradicted the claim of Shri Bhushan Agarwal, MD, 

Shyam Sel about giving priority to local people while providing job opportunities. 

Sri Jaydeb Ghosh, Bijaynagar village, asked about the progress of work on water supply from 

river Ajay bed and expressed his apprehension that in absence of suitable surface water supply 

this proposed unit may abstract considerable amount of ground water which in turn shall 

create water crisis in neighboring village wells. The villagers are dependent on these wells in 

this heavily water constrained region. He like his previous speaker mentioned that they are 

apprehensive about the performance of sponge iron units because of the perpetual problems of 

existing sponge units. 

Shri Hari Ghosh, Dhasal village, Shri Nabani Bagchi and Rupak Sharma, Dhasna village, Shri 

Subhas Ghosh Shri Anumay Pal and Amar Pal, Bijayanagar village reiterated their concern 

and reservations about sponge iron units. They have mentioned that they preferred industry 

without sponge iron operation because of its pollution history. However, all of them opined 

that industry without pollution is always welcome for development of the socio-economic 

condition of their villages. 

Shri Jamuna Pal , Vijaynagar village , mentioned that agricultural lands around the sponge 

iron units are yielding low crops due to disposal of solid waste in surrounding area and that 

any industry causing pollution is not welcome in the area. 

Barun Roy, Dhasna village, mentioned about the low intake of neighboring villagers in their 

existing factory by the management of M/s Shyam Sel. He has mentioned that during 

technical presentation the base line ambient air quality data has been shared with the audience 

but the villagers would also like to be informed about the post project changes in ambient 

data. He proposed that greening programme may be initiated immediately as a part of social 

responsibility, which may generate some trust among the near by residents about the 

willingness of the project mangers to operate the plant in environment friendly manner. He 

sighted the example of the nearby Singarona River. The condition of the Singarona jore /river 

deteriorated significantly after some other sponge iron units started their operation in this 

locality. 

Dr. Archana, ADM, Asansol requested officials of the pollution control board and also the md, 

shyam sel to respond to villagers queries. Dr. T.K.Gupta Chief Engineer, WBPCB described 

the potential of pollution from such industries and emphasized the need for installation of 

appropriate pollution control technologies. He informed that the particulate emission standard 

for sponge iron units have been brought down to 100 mg/Nm 3 . The Government of West 

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Bengal has recently banned setting up of stand alone sponge iron units and encouraged setting 

up of sponge iron units integrated with captive power plant for dolochar utilization and down 

stream activities. He informed about the provisions of Ground Water Act. No units should 

abstract ground water without the prior permission from competent authority. He requested 

the project proponent to modify the EIA/EMP report with the following modifications: 

1. As per the TOR provided by the MoEF, Government of India, all the sponge iron and 

other air polluting industries which are operating within 25 km of proposed plant 

should be clearly mentioned in EIA. The names of units which are operating in and 

around the Jamuria industrial estate should be included in EIA. 

2. The material balance should be recalculated after incorporation of necessary 

corrections in Ash percentage in coal washery section. 

3. The details of dolochar utilization through installation of FBC boilers should be 

clearly mentioned in EMP. 

4. The unit must confirm that only stamp charging and other cleaner options shall be 

adopted in coke ovens. 

5. Dedicated bag filters shall be provided in Raw Material Handling area, product house 

and cooler discharge section of rotary kilns. 

6. The SMS section should be equipped with gas cooling system to ensure safe and 

efficient bag filter operation. 

7. The Bag filter should be provided at the crusher house of coal washery. 

8. Dry defogging systems should be installed in pelletisation plant. 

9. The gas cooling system should be installed before bag filter in the Ferro Alloy section. 

10. Coal and Char should be stored in covered areas. 

11. Dry disposal of the CPP ash should be ensured through pneumatic transfer. 

Dr. T. K. Gupta, Chief Engineer, WBPCB, mentioned that adequate measures should be 

adopted to eliminate fugitive emission during transportation of raw materials and finished 

product. He mentioned that PP should provide adequate arrangement for emission control 

system for all units and requested the people present in the public hearing to keep watch on 

environmental performances. 

Prof. Shyamal Sanyal, Ex Vice Chancellor of Jadavpur University and an expert in this field 

who was also present during the public hearing requested the proponent to take the public 

views raised in this hearing seriously and to design their project accordingly. 

Shri A.Fouzdar the AEE-In-Charge of Asansol Region office, WBPCB narrated recent joint 

effort by the West Bengal Pollution Control Board and district authorities including the recent 

night raids in sponge iron units and regulatory actions thereof against defaulting sponge iron 

units in brief. 

Shri Subrata Sarkar, BDO, Jamuria block acknowledged the reservations of local community 

about the setting up of new sponge iron units but he also explained that the sponge iron units 

are integral part of the modern integrated steel industries in India. The sponge iron units 

should only be allowed as a part of integrated iron and steel units with all types of appropriate 

pollution control technologies. These units should be permitted only with proper operation of 

pollution control systems. He admitted that industrialization is desired but necessary measures 

should be adopted to avoid any public discomfort. 

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Mr. Bhushan Agarwal, MD, appreciated the various issues expressed by different participants 

and welcomed the suggestions. He indicated that the PP will address all the above stated 

issues while finalizing the environmental management plan. He confirmed that they will not 

abstract ground water without prior permission from competent authority and shall take all 

necessary measures to comply with the suggestions made in this public hearing. He also 

committed that the social responsibility program shall be taken up in consultation with local 

administration. 

Dr.Archana, ADM, Asansol, emphasized that all possible measures should be ensured by the 

Project Proponent towards the mitigation of all environmental problems and various points 

raised by the public present in the hearing. The project is welcome only after incorporation of 

all the pollution control measures and corporate social responsibility programmes proposed by 

the Project Proponent. Dr.Archana, ADM, Asansol, also assured the public that all the 

memorandum submitted by the local people about this proposal shall be duly forwarded to the 

Ministry of Environment and Forest, Government of India. 

____________sd/-__________________ 

(Dr. T. K.Gupta) 

Chief Engineer - I, 

WBPCB 

________________sd/-_________________ 

(Dr.Archana ) 

Additional District Magistrate, 

Asansol 

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M/s. Shyam Sel Limited, Jamuria, Dist. - West Bengal Pollution ...

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