Malay Chatterjee, Chairman and Managing Director of KIOCL informed media persons that the Karnataka government was yet to provide clearance for the firm’s over 20 applications for mining lease.
For more than seven years, the Karnataka-based central public sector mining firm has been out of job with out any captive mines.
Pointing out that the state government was slow on clearing projects, Chatterjee suggested the state to
move ahead like Andhra Pradesh and allocate iron ore mines to KIOCL. Keeping the CECÂ’s embargo and ruling on iron ore mining, the state government is very slow to react, he said.
Chatterjee would meet the state Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and urge him to clear mining lease for the firm. The company is also looking forward to Supreme Court monitored auction of C category mines leases in Karnataka which may come up shortly.
Chatterjee said the firm has good manpower still withit and it wants to serve the state but the onus and responsibility should be with the state government to utilise the firm’s expertise by giving a mining lease.
KIOCL is in talks with NMDC to operate and maintain its pellet plant at Donimalai in Bellary.
KIOCL is helping them to set up, operate and maintain the pellatisation plant. The plant will be operational by year end, said Chatterjee.
The company continue to operate its pellet plant in Mangalore with a capacity to produce 3.5 million tonne per annum as value addition to iron ore concentrate.
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