Following is an excerpt fromĀ  a New Indian Express report.

At a public hearing at Badmal bazaar here on Thursday, Vedanta Alumina Limited (VAL) allayed fears of villagers regarding issues like pollution and periphery development after its proposed expansion.

… The villagers were told that a report will be submitted to the Central Pollution Control Board and Ministry of Environment and Forest for their nod. Villagers also raised apprehensions on jobs for locals.

In his reply, General Manager (PR & CSR), VAL Orissa Projects, Prashant Kumar Hota made a presentation on the state-of-the-art technology being used to prevent noise, water, air and hazardous waste pollution. Even fly-ash generated will be recycled.

Later talking to this paper, Hota informed that a mobile medical unit is catering to about 4500 patients. He said plans are on to construct a 50- bed hospital in one of the villages.