MCFL asked to hold public hearing for Rs1,547cr expansion proj

Fertiliser firm MCFL has been asked to conduct public hearing for its proposed Rs 1,547 crore expansion project in Mangalore as it gets central nod for preparing environmental impact study for the same.

Mangalore Chemicals and Fertilisers (MCFL), which was originally promoted by UB Group chairman Vijay Mallya but now controlled by Zuari Group, has proposed expansion of its existing capacity of various kinds of fertilisers.

The company has proposed to set up an additional Diammonium phosphate (DAP) and NPK fertiliser capacity of one million tonnes per annum (TPA), 1,40,400 TPA of urea, 81,000 TPA of ammonia and 18,000 TPA of Poly carboxyl Ether (PCE) "An Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) under the Union Environment Ministry examined the MCFL's proposal recently and gave approval for the terms of reference (ToRs)," a senior government official said.

ToRs are guidelines specified for conducting environmental impact studies of projects based on which the Ministry grants or rejects environment clearance to a project.

"While approving ToRs for the project, the EAC asked MCFL to conduct public hearing and incorporate all details in the Environment Impact Assessment/Environment Management Plan (EIA-EMP) reports," the official said.

It may be noted that EAC had in a separate report filed before the National Green Tribunal has pitched that fertiliser plants are also need to conduct public hearing regardless of its location in industrial zone.

Among other additional details, the company has been asked to provide a detailed plan for zero-liquid discharge to be drawn by water recycling and reuse. It has been told to prepare prior water audit to be furnished in EIA-EMP report.

MCFL has informed the panel that it does not require additional land and total cost of the expansion project would be 1,547 crore.

At present, the company has a capacity to manufacture 24.75 lakh TPA of ammonia, 4,29,000 TPA of urea, 4,01,500 TPA of DAP/NPK fertilisers and 1,46,000 TPA of Sulphuric Acid.

It also has capacity to handle 4,00,000 TPA of imported fertilizer and 2,21,000 TPA of speciality mixtures of plant nutrients.