Ruhrkera: The State of Odisha Environmental Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) announced at its 93rd meeting held today in Bhubaneswar that the environment for the upgrade of Rourkela Airport (extended case) adjacent to Sector 14 of Rourkela Steel Township in Sundergarh District. Granted clearance (EC). .
SAIL – Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) is the owner of the airport and the development will be carried out by the Airports Authority of India for civil operation and will operate for three years.
We are eyeing the government-sponsored men’s hockey World Cup in Rourkela. Orissa has decided to upgrade Rourkela Airport from Code-2B to Code-3C in February 2021 for the operation of ATR-72/Q-400 aircraft under the RCS-UDAN scheme.
The proposal includes extending and strengthening the runway, building an ATC tower, providing a taxiway and constructing a prefabricated terminal building. Proposed associated facilities include additional utility buildings for housekeeping and support staff, construction of new toilet blocks, and utility vehicle sheds.
The Project Period of Commission (ToR) was issued by SEIAA on 22nd August 2022 to conduct a detailed EIA study. The EIA study was conducted by collecting baseline data from December 2019 to March 2020 (winter season) and June 2022 (15 days). TOR to the project is by SEIAA as the Rourkela runway is located within SAIL’s notified industrial township, the Rourkela steel mill, where there are no land acquisition, rehabilitation and/or resettlement issues and only internal boundaries exist. I am exempt from public hearings. Land use (from RSP townships to airports) is changing.
Estimated capital project cost is Rs. 50 rupees. The project proponent has allocated a budget allocation for capital cost of Rs.8.5 billion and recurring expenses of Rs.1.75 million per annum to implement the Environmental Management Plan (EMP). The area of Rourkela Airport will be increased from the existing 102 acres to 250 acres.
While granting EC, SEIAA has many environmental protections related to water and wastewater generation and treatment, stormwater control and capture, solid waste disposal, 35% greenbelt, zero liquid discharge, traffic and transportation survey measures, and pollution. It defines conditions and safeguards. Mitigation measures, energy conservation measures, onsite and offsite emergency plans, disaster management plans, fire safety recommendations and some other specific conditions under corporate environmental responsibility.
The SEIAA meeting, held under the chairmanship of Sri Sisir Kumar Ratho, has announced the mining of over 92.875 hectares of iron ore with a production capacity of 2.95 MTPA (RoM) from the iron ore mines of Karaman and Godavdani villages in West (North) Karaman. has also approved the grant of the EC for Sundergarh district and Gandapada village in Keonjhar district by Tata Steels Limited and 126 residential apartments on 12 floors by M/s Aryan Infrastructure Private Limited under Cuttack Municipal Corporation with general and specific environmental conditions. Located at Arakhakudaorapa mouza in Telengapenth.
