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| SAIL to hold talks with Jharkhand Govt soon on Chiria dispute |
| Press Trust of India / New Delhi Sep 03, 2009, 16:23 IST |
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The country's largest steel maker, SAIL, today said it will hold talks with the Jharkhand government soon for resolving the dispute over renewal of four mines in Chiria.
SAIL and the Jharkhand government have locked horns over the ownership of the Chiria mines for over three years now, with the government disputing SAIL's claim over the mines, which were allotted to the Indian Iron & Steel company that was later merged with SAIL in 2005.
"We will hold a high level meeting with the Jharkhand government this month for renewal of four mining leases in Chiria mines region," SAIL Chairman S K Roongta told reporters here on the sidelines of a steel convention.
"Of the 10 mining leases, SAIL has in Chiria region, renewal of four is facing dispute and we want to resolve it at the earliest," he said.
SAIL is eyeing the control of Chiria mines — home to over 2 billion tonnes of high-grade iron ore, to feed its expanded capacity of 23 million tonnes, which is scheduled to go on stream by 2010.
"The expansion work is going on full swing," Roongta said, adding the company is working on raising its production capacity to 23 million tonnes by 2010 from the present 14 million tonnes.
"About 2.5 million tonnes in capacity will be added at Burnpur Steel Plant, 2.5 million tonnes at Bhilai Steel Plant and 2 million tonnes at Rourkela Steel plant by 2011," he said.
Roongta said the delay was not only hurting the expansion projects but also affecting new project in Jharkhand.
"There has not been much progress on greenfield project in Jharkhand because it is linked with Chiria mines. We are committed to the project and hope that Jharkhand government renews the pending leases soon," he added.
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