MINING AND INDUSTRIALISATION UPDATE, ORISSA - Vasundhara

POSCO official from Kujanga said thedistrict inspector of schools and circleinspector of schools have been requested toact on the bid urgently moreover report saidtwo students from the transit colony thoseappeared in this year HSC examination havepassed out successful and POSCO has givenindication giving them financial assistancefor the higher study.Vedanta Aluminium launchesfirst product in marketPioneer News Service, 2 July, 2008Vedanta Aluminium Limited, Jharsuguda,on Saturday dispatched its first production(metal) for sale in open market. Local MLAKishore Mohanty ceremonially inauguratedthe product launching of the 2.5-lakh-tonnecapacity alumina project. Mohanty said thatwhile industries in Jharsuguda district werepreviously being closed one by one; theNaveen Patnaik Government with acommitment to establish new industrialprojects in the district, has successfullyfulfilled the dream, transforming the districtinto an industrially rich region. The Vedantaproject holds the key to enrichment ofJharsuguda district as well as of the State, hesaid. He observed that before startingproduction, Vedanta's contribution todevelopment of the peripheral area has beenremarkable. In the near future, VedantaAluminium has plans to establish a sportscomplex and start Apollo Hospital in thedistrict, he said and appreciated Vedanta'sendeavour of spending Rs 2.5 crore towardsdevelopment of the District HeadquartersHospital. Senior officer of VedantaAluminium, Pankaj Khanna, said theVedanta project situated at Vurkamundaaccomplished its goal of aluminiumproduction one year before the targetedtime, thus creating a record of fastestproduction in the aluminium sector. Amongothers, senior officer of Vedanta, AbhijitPati and former municipality chairmanTapas Roy Chowdhry attended theceremony.Ecologists panic as 'acidrain' lashes western OrissaPioneer News Service, 2 July, 2008On June19, a muddy rainfall suspected to be'acid rain' lashed some areas of westernOrissa, creating panic among ecologists as itsignifies severe degeneration to theecological system. Confusion, however,prevails as to whether it was acid rain or not,and the Western Orissa IntellectualAssociation has asked the Government tosend a scientists' team to probe into thematter. In a Press conference called by theassociation, Prof Durga Prasad Nayakdemonstrated the leaves affected by themuddy rain, which were collected fromBhawanipatna. The leaves lost theirgreenery, and in contact with eyes and skinthey cause itching, thus signifying acid rain,though it is not confirmed from theGovernment's side. The rain affected a widearea stretching from Bargarh toBhawanipatna (Kalahandi), but theGovernment is yet to express any concernover the disturbing phenomenon. It is alsounfortunate that despite there being aseparate department for EnvironmentalScience in the Sambalpur University therehas been no suggestion from the universityregarding the phenomenon. When poisonousgases like sulphur dioxide and nitrous oxide,emitted from the thermal power plants comein contact with atmospheric air, they formsulphuric acid and nitric acid, causing acidrain. These gases, mixed with atmosphericair, can affect the areas lying hundreds ofkilometers away from the place ofoccurrence. An ecology researcher, RanjanPanda, who has done his research in thefield of water resources, expressed deepconcern over the fact that crop fields andforests of the State's western belt would beseverely affected if it is actually acid rain.He cited the reasons causing the rain in thearea -- gas emitted from various industries4