Sustained Efforts by Ganjam Admin Bears Fruits; Kalipalli Villagers Ready to Support Deepak Fertilisers’ Plant

Berhampur: The sustained efforts by the Ganjam District administration have led to the successful removal of the most crucial hurdle in setting up of the a plant by Deepak Fertilisers inside the Tata SEZ in the district.

In a big push to industrial development in Ganjam district, the villagers of Kalipalli under Chatrapur block have decided to end their protest at the ongoing construction site and co-operate the administration for early completion of the project.

The amicable solution to the issue was possible due to the efforts of the Ganjam district administration. The officials held several crucial meetings with the villagers and created awareness about the benefits of the plant and how it is going to change the industrialization map of the area in the coming days.

Smartchem Technologies Limited, a subsidiary of Deepak Fertilisers and Petrochemicals is setting up the Technical Ammonium Nitrate (TAN) project with an investment of Rs 2,200 core inside the Gopalpur Industrial Park. It will have a capacity of 377 KTPA. The project has a potential to create large number of direct and indirect employment for the local workers and will pave the way for further industrialization of the areas.

Due to some misunderstanding about the project, the villagers were opposing the project. But the district administration made efforts to end the logjam. The amicable settlement has been welcomed by all parties. The administration will make efforts for employment of the local people in the industries being set up in the area.

Speaking on the development, Collector Dibya Jyoti Parida says, “We made the people aware about the benefits of the project. We will help the village youth to get employment in the project. The protests of several years have ended and now the project work will accelerate for the benefit of all. It will be an example for others and Gopalpur will be the next economic hub of Odisha.

The Ganjam Police led by SP Jagmohan Meena has also played a key role in resolving the issue.

With this amicable settlement, the company authorities restarted the construction work today and the compound wall was constructed. The plant has the best-in-class technology from Casale, that will ensure that it is the safest plant with lowest possible emissions. The project is expected to be completed by August 2024, 50% of the engineering work is already. It is strategically located near the major mining hubs and the Gopalpur port to capture domestic demands and tap into export opportunities.

It will generate employment for 1,500 people during the project phase and 325 people during the operation phase. It also holds the possibility of attracting investment in ancillary units like explosive manufacturers, manufacturers of LDPE/HDPE bags and liners, among others.

The Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik-led Odisha Government’s industry-friendly investment policy backed by the 5T model of governance has attracted several business tycoons to start their ventures in the State.