Vedanta to build hospital with proposed university

The Statesman, April 17, 2007

BHUBANESWAR, April 16: Evidently conscious of the eyebrows being raised over his proposed world class varsity across 8,000 acres of land near Puri, Mr Anil Agrawal, head of Sterlite and Vedanta group of industries, today said it will try to tighten things and reduce to required area and will also add a 1,000 bedded hospital cum research institute to the project.
Mr Agrawal, who met chief minister Mr Naveen Patnaik here, said the CM had requested him to consider setting up a super speciality hospital and he had readily agreed to it. The focus will be on cancer and cardiology, he said before stating that it will come up in the first phase of the varsity project.
Asked about land acquisition, he said it would be done as per the usual government process but no specifics were discussed today.
Mr Agrawal said his discussions with the CM also revolved around progress on his aluminum project, power plant etc. “The bauxite for trial production is being transported from Gujarat and we are also mulling on importing till the mining lease which is pending with the central government is disposed,” he noted.

Vedanta will set up a technical institute at Lanjigarh for local people, he informed. It may be noted here that the company has run into problems with regard to the bauxite mines at Niyamgiri hills and the matter has gone to court.SNS