Dispute Over Sukhinda Mines Lease Resolved

The dispute over the distribution of leases of chromite mines in Sukinda valley has been resolved with the Orissa government demarcating the chrome ore-bearing areas to be leased out to four private parties who have been engaged in a protracted legal battle over the issue.

As per the government decision, the Indian Metals and Ferro Alloys (Imfa) and its sister concern Indian Charge Chrome Ltd (ICCL) will get mining rights over an area of 198 hectares bearing deposits of 20 million tonnes of ore.

Of the other claimants, Ispat Alloys will get 100 hectares bearing deposits of 10 million tonnes, Jindal strips 89 hackers with nine million tonne deposit and Ferro Alloys Corporation (Facor) will get 39 hectares with four million tonnes of deposit.

All the deposits have been calculated upto a depth of 200 metres and represent only fifty per cent of the requirement of the companies for next fifty years.