By IANS,
Kolkata : A day after the central government cleared a proposed Petroleum, Chemical and Petrochemical Investment Regions (PCPIR) project at Nayachar Island in West Bengal, state Industry Minister Nirupam Sen Tuesday said it would not be possible to start work before the coming Lok Sabha elections.
“The notification for the coming Lok Sabha polls will be declared shortly. Thus, I don’t think the foundation stone laying ceremony for the Nayachar project will be held before the elections,” Sen told reporters here.
“We’re happy that the centre has approved the Nayachar project. It’s good for the state’s economy as well as it will create job opportunities in the region,” he added.
Home Minister P. Chidambaram Monday declared that the Nayachar chemical hub project has been sanctioned by the centre.
“Though the project has been cleared, it still requires green signal from some other quarters of the union cabinet. The entire process will take at least next few months to complete,” Sen said, adding the other project-related work would continue at Nayachar.
“The environmental impact, soil test and detailed project reports are not ready so far,” he said.
The chemical hub project proposed at Nayachar Island in East Midnapore district got a clearance at a meeting of the high-powered cabinet committee Feb 3.
Nayachar Island measures 12,500 acres on the Hooghly river.
The project is a joint venture between the West Bengal government, that has a 49 percent stake, and a consortium that holds the controlling 51 percent.