To get Centre’s nod,govt reworks Nayachar project

The new approach comes after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s visit to the area earlier this week when after reviewing several projects,she had accused the Centre of “trying to subvert industrial development” in the area on environmental reasons.

Following her party’s decision to walk out of the UPA government over the issue of FDI in retail,she had slammed the Union government for “dilly-dallying on sanctioning projects” for the region.

However,the state government has now realised that to make the project a reality it has to make certain changes,among which meeting the criteria laid down by Coastal Regulatory Zone (CRZ) Act.

“The entire area of Nayachar island that falls under CRZ Act is about 19,000 acres. As per the Act,one cannot do any construction within 500 metres of the sea coast. So,we are leaving that area,which amounts to about 5,000 acres. We will go ahead with our project in the remaining area of 14,000 acres. Our Chief Minister has publicly said that no one can prevent development of Nayachar as it will generate a lot of employment opportunities. Mamata has told us categorically to go whole hog on this,’’ said Suvendu Adhikary,chairman of Haldia Development Authority and Trinamool MP from Tamluk.

“It is evident that the central government is playing a mischief. But now that we are accepting the CRZ norms and they should not have any problem in granting clearance,’’ Adhikary said.

Sources said the government is planning to shift the proposed power plant from Nayachar to Raghunathpur in Purulia district to allay the Environment Ministry’s concern. However,Adhikary said that he was not aware of such a proposal.

“I have no information regarding this. I will go ahead in accordance with the advice of the Chief Minister,’’ he said.

Officials of Commerce and Industries Department said Prasun Mukherjee of NKID has been called for consultation.

The previous Left Front government had entered into an agreement with NKID under Salim Group of Indonesia on July 31,2006 to build among other things a chemical hub at Nandigram in East Midnapore district.

Following protest by the farmers over land acquisition in Nandigram,the PCPIR (Petroleum,Chemicals and Petro-chemicals Investment Region) project was shifted to Nayachar,a year later. However,the Trinamool Congress which was then in opposition protested against the setting up of a chemical hub at Nayachar.

Five months after the Trinamool came to power in the state,an agreement was signed on November 3,2011 by state government,the NKID,the WBIDC,the Prafulla Chandra Roy (PCR) Chemicals and Universal Success Ltd for the development of Nayachar island.

It also sent an application to the Central government requesting for cancellation of the status of PCPIR and granting environmental clearance.

While the Union Cabinet has accepted the first application cancelling the PCPIR status,the Ministry of Environment and Forests has not taken a decision on it and had expressed certain reservations.

As per the project plan for Nayachar island that was laid down by Commerce and Industries Minister Partha Chatterjee in the Assembly,the total initial investment will be Rs 26,000 crore.

While Rs 12,000 crore will be spent on power plant,Rs 12,000 crore will be on an industrial hub and Rs 2,000 will be on tourism project. For the first annual lease rent for the land,a cheque amounting to Rs 59,94,610 lakh has been received by the state government from the PCR Chemicals this year.