Despite CM Baghel’s Declaration, Paper Mill Project Halted Amidst Uncertainty

Bijapur: Several years ago, when Chief Miner Bhupesh Baghel visited Bhopalpatnam in the Bijapur drict, he unveiled plans for a bamboo paper factory during a gathering at the High School ground. This announcement filled the air with anticipation, and preparations were immediately initiated. However, the excitement has since waned, and the once-promising project is now seldom discussed.
Bhopalpatnam, situated at the western edge of Bastar and sharing borders with Maharashtra and Telangana, has long nurtured the hope for such a factory. With a hory spanning over 40 years, this demand stems from the region’s underdeveloped status. In the past, korandam extraction from local mines once promised economic activity, but that venture was halted due to environmental regulations and the prevailing Naxalite issue.
Post CM Baghel’s announcement, the region witnessed frequent visits from high-ranking officials. About 100 acres near Gollaguda village were even earmarked for the project. But recent information from the Drict Industries Department reveals an unsettling reality: the project has stalled, primarily due to resource constraints. The chosen site, it seems, is now deemed unsuitable.
Residents, initially buoyed the promise of job opportunities and infrastructural development, now feel let down. While there are 29 bamboo wells in the drict, active production was limited to just six in Bhopalpatnam, which too have ceased operations for the past two years. The local deficit in raw materials could potentially be addressed sourcing bamboo from other dricts.
SA Bilung, the Drict Industries Officer, clarified that the project’s hold-up stems from resource limitations and the subsequent drop in raw material production. He emphasized the vast scope of the project, indicating that the next steps are contingent on state-level decisions.