Keonjhar Speaks Up Over Pellet Plant Allegations, Land and Environmental Questions

Keonjhar Speaks Up! Pellet Plant Row Raises Questions Over Land, Water & Tribal Rights

By Sunil Jena
Editor-in-Chief, The Politics Odia

Bhubaneswar : Keonjhar is once again at the centre of a debate over mining, land and the protection of natural resources. In this episode of The Political Lens, attention turns to allegations surrounding a proposed iron-ore pellet plant at Champadihi and the concerns being raised by local residents over land use, water channels, environmental compliance and tribal rights.

The issue assumes significance because Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, after taking office in June 2024, had publicly said that those responsible for the alleged plunder of Keonjhar’s mineral resources would face action. During his first visit to his home district as Chief Minister, Majhi said those involved in mineral exploitation were on his radar and would be sent to jail.

Against that backdrop, questions are now being raised over the Champadihi project associated with Kashvi International Private Limited. Official environmental appraisal records identify a proposed 0.6 million tonne per annum iron-ore pellet plant and five producer-gas plants at Champadihi in Keonjhar district. The September 2023 Expert Appraisal Committee record stated that the project required 7.94 hectares, or about 19.62 acres, comprising 2.52 acres of private land and 17.1 acres of IDCO government land. The same record described the land use as industrial land provided by IDCO.

Kashvi International’s own website also lists the Champadih Iron Ore Pellet Project as a proposed 0.6 MTPA pellet plant and states that land acquisition and statutory clearances were under progress. The company website describes the proposed project area as 50 acres, which differs from the 19.62-acre figure recorded in the 2023 EAC minutes and therefore warrants clarification about the respective project stages and land parcels.

The central questions raised in the current controversy concern whether all land being used or acquired for the project has the required legal status and approvals, whether any natural drainage channel has been altered, and whether environmental and other statutory conditions are being complied with. These are allegations and questions raised around the project; they should be established through official records, field inspection and competent regulatory proceedings before being treated as proven violations.

The allegations also include claims about the use of tribal and government land and the diversion or obstruction of a local water channel. Such claims are particularly significant in a mineral-rich district where land, forests and water resources directly affect farming and the livelihoods of local communities. Any allegation involving government or forest land requires verification against the Record of Rights, cadastral maps, land-use permissions and applicable environmental and forest regulations.

Another question is the role of the district administration and mining authorities. If residents have submitted complaints concerning land use, mining activity, water channels or environmental compliance, the relevant departments would need to examine the documents, conduct a site inspection and establish whether any statutory conditions have been breached.

The episode also comes in the context of recent enforcement action in Keonjhar’s mining-related cases. In March 2025, the Economic Offences Wing arrested BJD leader Soumya Sankar Chakra alias Raja Chakra in connection with alleged irregularities involving the Gandhamardan Loading Agency and Transporting Cooperative Society. The agency said the investigation concerned alleged misappropriation of funds linked to the society.

That case, however, is separate from the allegations surrounding the Champadihi pellet project. One investigation or arrest cannot by itself establish wrongdoing in another matter. The relevant question in the Champadihi case is whether the competent authorities have examined the specific allegations and what the official records show.

In this episode, a local resident speaks with Sunil Jena over the phone about the concerns surrounding the project. The person’s allegations and observations are presented as claims requiring verification. The wider issue is whether Keonjhar’s mineral development can proceed while ensuring compliance with land, environmental and community-related laws.

Sunil Jena’s Observation:

The Champadihi controversy raises a basic question of governance: whenever allegations involving land, water and environmental compliance surface, the answer should come through transparent verification, official records and due process. Keonjhar’s mineral wealth can only be meaningfully linked to development when local communities and statutory safeguards remain part of that process.

Author Profile

Sunil Jena: Sunil Jena is the Editor of The Politics Odia, an independent digital platform that delivers fearless political analysis, ground reports, and investigative stories from Odisha. Known for bold storytelling and grassroots connections, Sunil is shaping a new era of regional journalism.