Once posting at Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli district was a sort of punishment for any government and private employee. The scenario has changed and is fast changing with the initiative at the centre and the state. During the last five years Gadchiroli has changed, away from threats of Maoists and no facilities into a Steel City of India.
The road network with the help of the Border Road Organisation improved the connectivity and also ensured safety of security personnel posted in remote areas in the district. Systematic plan to end the Naxalite movement has materialised to ensure safety to Forest Officials and suppliers of raw materials to industries in adjoining areas.
With rich and dense forest cover and abundant minerals Gadchiroli could have been a very important place for industries.
JRD Tata had planned to start a steel plant in Gadchiroli, which was later shifted to Tatanagar, for want of transportation facilities in Gadchiroli.
With the development of road network and elimination of Naxalite activities, Lloyd Minerals started the largest single location iron ore plant in Sujagarh in Gachiroli, with government’s full support.
The project is the largest in India, and probably in Asia, projected to mine 55 Million Tonnes Per Annum. The present mining operation is up to 10 Million Tonnes Per Annum, including hematite and bonded hematite quartzite.
Gadchiroli with 75 per cent of geographical area covered by dense forest, spanning over 1.1 million hectares, is also known for its biodiversity. With this forest cover Gadchiroli is rightly called the lungs of Maharashtra State. Rich in tribal heritage the district has Madia and Gond tribes as its natives, and has diverse wildlife.
This is the only district in Maharashtra which does not have an operational direct railway line running through it. Initially a part of Gond Dynasty of Khandkya Ballarsha, the district was carved out from Chandrapur District in 1982. A major attraction, besides dense forest, is beautiful Markanda Dev Temple built and developed from 8th to 13th century and is termed as Khajurao of the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra.
Entry of Lloyd Minerals was conditional for not damaging the ecosystem. It is set to become the first certified green mining project using battery-operated heavy equipment, LNG-powered vehicles and renewable energy to minimise carbon footprints.
Community Impact
Local tribal communities are being trained through skill development programmes, so that sufficient work force could be hired.
A 30bed hospital with modern facilities was constructed.
Solar electricity and road augmentation worked out.
Ecological restoration by planting against trees that were removed was announced.
Initial opposition to the project due to tree-felling, and possible damage to environment and wildlife has calmed down after the government declaring ten times plantation against the trees cut for the project.
Transport
The villages which had not seen state transport bus during the last 65 years of formation of united Maharashtra State are celebrating connectivity through state-operated transport networks.
Still many villages are isolated during monsoon. Efforts are going on to connect those villages through roads and bridges over rivers and rivulets.
A proposal to develop an airport in Gadchiroli has been mooted to attract investment in the most backward district of Maharashtra – Gadchiroli.
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