Panel backs reopening of seven mines

An inter-departmental panel chaired by the development commissioner U N Behera has recommended reopening of seven mines, including the Sukinda chromite mine of Tata Steel.

"The status of these mines were reviewed recently. Government orders for resuming operations of the mines will be issues after they are approved by the chief minister. All these are non captive leases and their validity will be extended till 2020", said steel & mines minister Prafulla Mallick.

Last week, the inter-departmental panel had scrutinised cases of chromite mines of Tata Steel and B C Mohanty & Sons and iron and manganese ore mines held by R B Das, Tarini Miners, TP Mohanty, Geeta Rani Mohanty, Mala Ray and Gandhamardhan Sponge Iron.

In case of Mala Ray Mines, additional information is needed to be furnished by the department of mines and forest & environment.

The state government has so far extended the validity of 29 leases- 21 captive and the balance in non-captive category. Out of these 29 leases, 25 are iron and manganese ore mines. Supplementary lease deeds have been inked for 20 mines. The government has collected Rs 893 crore from the lease extention process so far by way of stamp duty charges.

The lease deeds have been executed for mines owned by Tata Steel, Rungta Mines, Odisha Manganese & Minerals Ltd (OMM) and Aryan Mining & Trading Corporation Ltd (AMTC) to name a few.