Vedanta-controlled Bharat Aluminium Company (Balco) Limited had made a big leap forward to ensure raw material supply to its facility located in Korba district of Chhattisgarh.
A public hearing conducted for environment clearance to company’s bauxite mine in Sarguja district was completed successfully. This would ensure the supply of major aluminium-making raw material to Balco from another 10 years.
The clearances were sought for renewal of the lease that was granted to the company for the bauxite mine located in Kudaridih, Kesra and Sapnadar villages in the hills of Mainpath. Of the total lease area of 639.169 hectare, the environment clearance was sought for 353.980 hectare of area to produce 0.75 million tonne of bauxite per annum.
“The public hearing was held in a peaceful manner and the proceeding was completed successfully,” Balco’s chief of corporate communication B K Sriwastwa told Business Standard. More than 2000 people attending the proceedings, of which 104 expressed their views on the issue, he added. Former Legislator Gopal Ram said the otherwise neglected Mainpath area saw a new lease of life and development with Balco stepping in the pocket to mine bauxite. The livelihood of people living in this remote area of tribal-predominated Sarguja region is depended on Balco, he said, adding that people do not want the company to abandon its operations.
Balco’s head of the mines, S C Sav briefed about the project and said company’s environment management was best and further improvement would be made in future. He said controlled blasting in the mines had ensured least impact to the environment in the area. The bauxite mined from Mainpath would cater the raw material requirement of Balco, which was incorporated in the year 1965 as a Public Sector Undertaking (PSU). Since then the Company has playing a pivotal role in the Indian Aluminium Industry.
The company was disinvested in 2001 with Sterlite Industries (I) Limited purchasing 51 per cent equity. The remaining 49 per cent stake is with the Government of India.
