APPCB completes hearing of BEL's defence project

Palasamudram (Anantapur): Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board (APPCB) has completed its public hearing on the establishment of Defence System Integration Complex (DSIC) at Palasamudram by the Indian Public Sector Unit giant Bharath Electronics Limited (BEL).

A positive report had been submitted to the district administration paving the way for commencement of civil works of the project. The project costing Rs 450 crore spread over an area of 260 acres, will provide direct employment to 2,500 people and indirect employment to 6,250 personnel.

BEL has already constructed a compound wall and internal concrete and cement roads spending Rs 50 crore. An industrial water supply scheme has been formulated based on water supply from Gollapalle reservoir.

It will have facilities such as assembling hangers, hard stands for radars and weapon integration, RF radiation sources for target simulation, automatic test equipment, clean rooms for electronic assembling, non-explosive & explosive integration building, environmental test chambers, fire stations, solar power plant, estate and administrative buildings.

Kerala-based major technical consultancy organisation KITCO Ltd has bagged the consultancy for the DSIC to be set up at Palasamudram by BEL. Phase-I involves setting up of weapon system integration, beacon facilities and hard stands while Phase-II involves homeland security (HLS), weapon manufacturing, unmanned aerial vehicle. Locals are demanding that their youth be given jobs in the industries to come up in the area.