Essar assured of Trinidad

by 'Earthtimes

Essar Steel, which is setting up a major steel unit here, has been assured a liberal flow of natural gas for the next 20 years, a top official of the company has said.

'We believe there is no issue on supply of gas for the next 20 years, based on the contract signed with the National Gas Company of Trinidad and Tobago,' said P.R. Dhariwal, Essar's managing director here.

'Further, the company has expertise on oil and gas exploration and is ready to come forward and put all efforts on further gas exploration in addition to the current ongoing initiatives,' Dhariwal told IANS in an email reply.

The Essar executive was responding to a question about reports that natural gas in Trinidad will run out in 12 years, which could have an impact on the group's 2.5 million steel unit that is expected to become operational by 2010.

He also assured that Essar was fully committed to environmental concerns.

'We will maintain and work within the parameters prescribed in the Certificate of Environmental Clearance. The first employee we hired in Trinidad was the head of environment, health and safety (EHS),' he said.

'This is very important to our business philosophy,' Dhariwal said and added one of the reasons there were some protests over the project may do with the lack of proper, credible information.

'I believe this view may be due to a lack of knowledge. We have carried out several meetings with the neighbouring communities to clarify issues. We are open to clarify further if anyone has any doubt.'

On the issue of dislocating hundreds of residents from the neighbourhood of the project site, Dhariwal said no one would be displaced, as community development was one of the important aspects of the way Essar conducted its business.

'Although we are yet to start production, we have already taken initiatives and started community work by way of education, cultural and sports activities,' he said, adding lots of opportunities existed to enhance knowledge and skills.

Dhariwal was also hopeful of contributing much to the industrial development of the Caribbean country once the steel plant becomes operational.

'There is great potential in development of entrepreneurship in various fields on a sustainable basis: automobile, shipping, railways, containers, storage tanks, pipe and tubes and construction. We will help where we can.'