Hearing starts for Malda ore mines

Close on the heels of completion of the hearings for the Khandadhar and Horomoto mines, the Orissa government has started the process of hearing for the Malda iron ore mines in the district of Sundergarh.

More than 100 applicants including Visa Steel, Arati Steel, MSP Sponge, BRG Steels, Jindal Steel and Power Limited (JSPL) are in race for the prospecting license (PL) of this iron ore block which is a part of Malda manganese mines under the Koida mining circle.

“We have started the hearing for the Malda iron ore mines and hope to complete the process within next 2 to 3 months”, Ashok Dalwai, secretary, steel and mines, Orissa government told Business Standard.

He said, the state government intends to provide raw material linkage to the industries fulfilling the conditions stipulated in the memorandum of understanding (MoU) like attaining the financial closure. So the process has started for deciding the most meritorious claimant to this iron ore block, he added.

Sources said, the state government has decided to give PL for prospecting of about 700 hectares of iron bearing area at Malda in Sundergarh district. Earlier, this block was a part of Malda manganese mines and held by the Tata Iron and Steel Company (Tisco).

While a part of this manganese mines is held by the company, another part has been relinquished by it. Some iron ore reserves are believed to be there.

Though the area held by Tata Steel has been partly prospected ,the adjacent area has not been prospected yet. The Orissa government feels that there are some reserves of iron ore in this area.

So it has decided to give it for prospecting. Sources said, the state steel and mines department initiated the process of starting the hearing for Malda iron ore mines about a month back, issuing notices to applicants for submission of documents.