The mass hearing for the environmental clearance of the whopping Rs 35,000 crore modernized level-II fully-automatic integrated steel plant of SAIL in Burnpur will be held on 20 August.

This will be the highest ever single investment of the central government in the steel sector surpassing the previous modernization of ISP of about Rs 18,032 crore.

Bhashkar Kumar, general manager (COC) of IISCO steel plant, Burnpur said that a detailed project report (DPR) is being prepared and the global tender will be floated once the model of the construction work is finalised and the first public hearing will be held on 20 August.

Two internationally reputed steel technical consultants M N Dastur and Mecon are working for this prestigious project.

Talking to The Statesman today, Sushil Kumar Suman, chairman of ISP Officers Association (IOA) said that the full-fledged construction work will take place from about a year and in the next five years about 10,000 contractual labourers and another 3000 executives are expected to work in this massive construction work, which is scheduled to be completed by 2013.

“The Rs 35,000-crore modernization project by SAIL will not only act as a game changer in the socio-economic scenario of the local area but also for the entire state. Once completed, ISP will produce 7.1 million tonnes of steel and will become one of the largest and most hi-tech integrated steel plants of the country,” he said. ISP already produces 2.5 million tonnes of steel after its first phase of modernisation.

Already, the land piling work has started, with the filling up of the two old large water bodies where the blast furnace and coke ovens will be set up. The century-old iron and steel plant of IISCO has been dismantled and the new plant will be set up on the land and a part of New Town quarter land and there is no requirement of any land acquisition.

An administrative building, ISPAT Bhawan will also come up near the Confluence Building at Circular Road where all top executives will be brought under one roof for further administrative swiftness.

Executive director (projects) of ISP, Surajit Mishra, U P Singh, CGM Vinod Kumar held a meeting with the local councillors of Asansol Municipal Corporation last evening to apprise them about the latest developments and sought their help for the upcoming massive construction work.

Ashok Rudra, councillor of AMC and TMC leader said that they have urged that the local people should get the preferences in the modernization of construction jobs and supply.

“We welcome this massive modernization work of ISP and will provide all assistance on behalf of the state government locally as in the coming days it will put Burnpur in the global steel manufacturing map as a major hub,” he added.