SAIL pays Rs 19 lakh to Chhattisgarh govt to clear 2,000 trees for Rowghat mining project

State-owned SAIL has made a payment of about Rs 19 lakh to the Chhattisgarh government to remove over 2,000 trees at its Rowghat iron ore complex so that the steel-maker can construct an approach road to the long-stalled project.

The Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL) is now hopeful of beginning mining-related activity at the block in two-three months, a company official said.

Beginning operations at the Rowghat iron ore mine in Kanker district of the state is extremely important for SAIL as the Dalli-Rajhara mines, from which the company's Bhilai unit sources iron ore, are fast depleting, the official said.

The company would also expand the capacity of Bhilai Steel Plant (BSP) to 12 MT from over 7 MT at present as part of its overall expansion plan of 50 million tonnes by 2030.

The state government had sent a demand note of over Rs 18.5 lakh to remove about 2,000 trees on the approach road to the Rowghat block.

Replying to a query, SAIL confirmed "it has deposited Rs 18,92,216/- today (Saturday) for felling of 2034 trees for making of approach road on area of 3.82 hectares to Anjarel block of Rowghat (area identified for interim mining)."
The official added that SAIL Chairman A K Chaudhary "was recently here and he has asked the concerned officials to finish the work as soon as possible."