SC panel rules out export of pellets from Karnataka

The Supreme Court-appointed Central Empowered Committee (CEC) has ruled out any possibility of allowing export of iron ore pellets from Karnataka-based miners.

Responding to requests from the leaseholders at a meeting here, the CEC team headed by P V Jayakrishnan told the miners there was no question of allowing exports at this stage from Karnataka.

Even the Supreme Court had directed for suspension of iron ore exports from Karnataka in 2011.

The CEC also clarified that miners will not be allowed to either conduct mining or dump ore in the overlapped area between two mines. “The survey map fixed by the Joint Survey Team of the CEC last year will be sacrosanct and there is no scope for any further dispute. However, if there is any minor overlapping in the Category C mines, such area will be exempt from mining,” Basant Poddar, vice chairman, Federation of Indian Mineral Industries (FIMI), told Business Standard.

More than 40 miners drawn from both Category A and B attended the meeting convened by the CEC. The director, mines and geology, government of Karnataka, officials from the state forest department, two other members of CEC including M K Jiwrajka, member secretary attended the meeting.

Earlier, the BJP government headed by former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa had banned export of iron ore with effect from July 26, 2010. Until the export was banned, Karnataka exported about 20 million tonnes of iron ore annually.

The CEC had convened the meeting to discuss various issues including overlapping of mining leases, implementation of Reclamation and Rehabilitation (R&R) Plans, renewal of leases, reallotment of Category C mines. This follows the Supreme Court order on April 18, 2013 allowing reopening of all Category A and B mines in Karnataka.

So far, 11 mines in Category A and two mines in Category B have restarted mining operations. These 13 mines together can produce about 4.5 million tonnes per annum. Last week, MSPL, which was classified under Category B restarted its mines in Vyasanakere of Bellary district with an annual capacity of 910,000 tonnes.