Curbs on movement of iron ore trucks ahead of polls

The restriction has been imposed to pave ways for effective police patrolling during night hours

The Keonjhar collector has issued orders to restrict movement of iron ore laden trucks on National Highway-215 connecting Jajpur to Rourkela via Keonjhar, for two weeks in view of the ensuing polls.

“Loading of minerals from different mines, plants and railway sidings located in Keonjhar district and movement of mineral carrying trucks as well as empty trucks over NH 215 including connecting roads are hereby stopped from April 5, 2014, to 20 April, 2014”, said an office order from the Keonjhar  collector. The restriction has been imposed to pave the way for effective police patrolling during night hours and to ensure smooth movement of election monitoring teams, it added.

NH 215 serves as a link between iron ore rich Joda and Koira region with sponge iron ore manufacturing hub Rourkela. The highway also connects with Jajpur Road, which has a link with Paradip port. Joda and Koira produce nearly 70 million tonne high grade iron ore every year including exploration for captive consumption by steel makers like Tata Steel and Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL). A similar order has also been passed by Sundergarh collector for the portion of NH 215 that passes through the district. The restriction will cause raw material supply problems for sponge iron plants in Rourkela and pellets plants in Jajpur and Paradip even if it will resume after 20 April, said steel association officials.

“The government officials find one way or another to stop supply to steel companies. Even if the restriction has been imposed for 15 days, it will surely cause damage to the industry,” said P L Kandoi, president of All Odisha Steel Federation (AOSF).

Sponge iron makers fear that the restriction will lead to halting of production as all of them run their plants with hand-to-mouth stocks of iron ore, because such restrictions are imposed time and again during examinations, relief operations during natural calamities and at the time of  street protests. They fear the halting of production would damage the wall of blast furnace, causing delay in starting of the blast furnace.