Odisha became the first Indian state which announces an extension in the current lockdown measures to fight the coronavirus pandemic. The countrywide lockdown is set to end by April 14, but Odisha decided to prolong it until April 30. The state is home to India’s iron ore, coal, and mineral mines as well as IOCL’s 300,000 bpd Paradip refinery.
The lockdown in Odisha also affects several petrochemical and energy projects. Total and Adani are constructing an LNG import terminal with a capacity of 5 million tons/year at Dhamra in Odisha. The government is also developing Odisha as a hub in a major natural gas transmission project in the eastern part of India. IOCL operates a 680,000 tons/year PP plant at Paradip and is building a 1.2 million tons/year PX/PTA production unit and a 357,000 tons/year MEG plant.
In other sectors, Tata Steel was forced to halt operations at its cold rolling mill and downstream plants in Odisha. Coal miners and ferro-alloy producers in the state have also shut their operations.
