Breaking: MoEFCC orders Gujarat to investigate AM/NS India’s alleged illegal activities on forest land in Hazira, Surat

Surat (Gujarat) : The Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has directed the Gujarat Government to investigate the alleged illegal activities of Arcelor Mittal Nippon Steel India (AM/NS India) in Hazira, Surat, by taking inappropriate possession of forest land.

Suneet Bhardwaj, Assistant Inspector General of Forests, Forest Conservation Division, MoEFCC, Government of India, has directed the Principal Secretary of Forest, Government of Gujarat, in response to Darshan Naik’s representation regarding illegal activities by AM/NS India concerning forest land in Hazira–copy is with The Blunt Times.

According to Naik’s representation, the forest land owned by the Surat Forest Department in Hazira measuring 38.71 hectares and 27.02 hectares was allotted to AM/NS India (formerly Essar Group) for a 300 MW power plant and raw material handling under the Forest Conservation Act (FCA). However, there is a significant difference between the area demanded in the proposal and the area sanctioned by the Government of India under FCA.

Instead of providing possession of the land mentioned in the original proposal, the Forest Department arbitrarily provided another location, which is still forest land, for the company’s convenience. The Central and State Governments appear to have been duped by the local forest department by giving AM/NS India incorrect possession of the land. Furthermore, the company has submitted a new proposal for 7.18 hectares of forest land.

According to Naik, the company is constructing a dangerous plant that will pose a serious threat to the environment. There should be a separate environmental hearing for the blast furnace and power plant because environmental impact assessment is likely to affect the health of thousands of people.

The land in question is still under consideration by the Government of India. The company is flagrantly violating the FCA provisions in order to expand their steel plant on forest land. While the proposal for a ‘change of use’ of the forest land is still pending with the Central Government, AM/NS India is expanding its steel plant.

The company has begun piling work on the property in question in order to build a dangerous blast furnace plant. However, the company has violated the FCA guidelines without the approval of the government, stated Naik in his complaint.

Denying the allegations, AM/NS India issued a statement on Thursday night stating, “We wish to inform that AM/NS India has taken the initiative to regularise the forest land. The government of Gujarat handed over possession of the land to AM/NS India in March 2022 upon payment of the requisite dues.””The purpose of steelmaking remains unchanged, AM/NS India had applied for land use change as per the prescribed procedure. “

According to the statement, the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change has vide a letter dated January 2, 2023, granted its approval under Section 2 of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 for land use change for already diverted 38.71 hectare of Reserved and Unclassed forest land for setting up 300 MW power plant at AM/NS India in Surat. Also, the MoEFCC issued another letter dated January 2, 2023 granting its approval under Section 2 of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 for land use change for already diverted 27.02 hectare of Reserved forest land bearing survey no. 179/ pt at Hazira village for the construction of raw material facilities and utilities in favour of AM/NS India in Surat.