Ambuja Cements to resume mining operations in Himachal

After receiving a notice from the Ministry of Environment and Forest, limestone mining operation was kept in abeyance

Ambuja Cements will resume mining operations in Himachal Pradesh with the High Court granting a stay on the Ministry of Environment and Forest's order to keep them in abeyance earlier this month.

"...The High Court of Himachal Pradesh has granted a stay on the order issued by the Ministry of Environment and Forest and accordingly, mining operations at Himachal Pradesh plants would now be resumed," the company said in a BSE filing today.

After receiving a notice from the Ministry of Environment and Forest, limestone mining operation in Himachal Pradesh was kept in abeyance.

Ambuja Cements, which has five million tonnes per annum (MTPA) limestone mining capacity in Himachal Pradesh, however, had said cement production in the state remained unaffected.

It had to temporarily stop clinker production at Darlaghat plant till the abeyance was lifted. It is one of the integrated plants of the company. Controlled by Swiss major Holcim, Ambuja has 27.25 MTPA capacity at present.

Cement production and dispatches also remained unaffected with the help of available clinker inventory, the company had said, adding it was planning to mobilise clinker from other plants, associate firms and market to ensure uninterrupted supply of cement in the market.

Shares of the company were trading at Rs 164 apiece, up 2.53 per cent during the afternoon trade on the BSE.