India: JSW Cement has released its first commercial product from its 2.4Mt/yr Salboni plant in West Bengal, 18 months after construction work began at the site. The first load of cement was sent on a truck to a client in nearby Tarapith. JSW Cement’s director Biswadip Gupta said that it was one of the fastest greenfield cement plant projects in India in recent years. “We have not lost a single man-day during the construction of the project,” he added.
However, those that have been forced from their land to allow for the construction of the plant remain unhappy that the project has gone ahead, with the secretary of the JSW Landlosers’ Welfare Association Pariskar Mahato stating that they had not even received an invitation to the inauguration event. He added, “There is resentment among land losers. We should get jobs in the project, but the management is recruiting people from outside.”
