Cement plant to begin in Sonbhadra

7th May 2018

Paving the way for operations to finally begin at the Ultratech Cement plant in Sonbhadra, initially owned by JP Associates (JPA), UP government has identified land on which JPA will have to carry out plantation in lieu of mining on forested land.

As per the cabinet decision, taken in pursuance of a May 4, 2016, National Green Tribunal order, JPA’s penalty for carrying out mining on forested land will be to purchase an equal quantity of land identified by the government, carry out plantation there and maintain it for 10 years.

Once the conditions are fulfilled, Ultratech will be allowed to start operations.

The state cabinet on Tuesday cleared the proposal to notify 586 hectare of non-forest land, equivalent to the forest land where JPA carried out mining, in Meerjapur, Madihan and Lalganj.

“JP Associates will have to first purchase the land by paying four times the actual cost of land for its acquisition. It will also have to take care of all other expenditure like movement of goods and also for maintenance of the plantation for 10 years. It is necessary for JPA to fulfil these conditions for permission to be granted to Ultratech Cement, which subsequently bought the plant, to start operations,” said a senior government official.

Source: TNN