Eight Tata Steel mines raise ore beyond IBM approved plan

Eight out of 10 mines of Tata Steel in Orissa have raised iron ore, chromite and manganese beyond the IBM (Indian Bureau of Mines) approved mining plan during the last ten years.

These errant mines are Joda East Iron Ore Mines, Manmora Manganese Mines, Katamati Iron Ore Mines, Guruda Tiringpahad Manganese Mines, Bamebari Manganese Mines, Joda West Manganese Mines, Sukinda Chromite Mines and Malda Manganese Mines. Nine out of 10 mines of Tata Steel were carrying out operations under deemed extension which meant these were operating beyond the term of their lease period pending disposal of their renewal application.

Only two of the Tatas’ mines, Khandabandh Iron Ore Mines and Gomardihi Dolomite Iron Ore Mines, operated within the limit of the IBM approved plan during 2000-01 to 2009-10.

This was informed by the state steel and mines minister Raghunath Mohanty.

The Joda East Iron Ore Mines of Tata Steel spread over 608.91 hectares (1504.59 acres) produced excess iron ore to the tune of 0.3 million tonnes (mt), 0.5 mt and 0.65 mt lakh in 2000-01, 2001-02 and 2002-03 respectively. As against the targeted production quantity of 2.4 mt approved by IBM in 2000-01, the iron ore production from these mines was 2.709 mt while the output in 2002-03 was 2.902 mt compared to the approved production of 2.4 mt.

Similarly, in 2002-03, these mines clocked a production of 3.057 mt as against the IBM approved figures of 2.4 mt.During 2003-04 to 2009-10, the iron ore production at these mines was below the IBM approved production.The company's Manmora Manganese Mines spread over 16.439 hectares ((40.62 acres) recorded an excess production of 4852 tonnes of manganese ore in 2004-05. While the IBM had fixed the production level at 930 tonnes, the actual production was 5782 tonnes.

Similarly, the Katamati Iron Ore Mines spread over 403.32 hectares (996.59 acres) clocked excess production of 63,117 tonnes and 556,170 tonnes of iron ore in 2004-05 and 2005-06 respectively.

While the mine had IBM approval for 1.075 mt output in 2004-05, the actual production was 1.13 mt.

In 2005-06, the IBM had approved a production of 1.11 mt whereas the actual production stood at 1.67 mt.At the Guruda Tiringpahad Manganese Mines, the excess production of manganese ore in 2000-01, 2001-02, 2002-03 and 2004-05 stood at 2113 tonnes, 18351 tonnes, 35918 tonnes and 25785 tonnes respectively.