The State government will soon take a decision on reopening of eight mines whose mining leases have expired years ago. The Inter-Departmental Committee, which met here on Wednesday under the chairmanship Development Commissioner UN Behera, received lease extension proposals of seven such mines from the Steel and Mines Department and sought more information on one Mala Roy (Jalahuri) reserve, sources said.
Director of Mines Deepak Mohanty said, “We will provide the information to the committee soon; and after getting the panel’s recommendation, we’ll send the same to the State Government for approval.” “We hope to receive the committee’s recommendation within two to three days,” he stated. Besides the Tata Steel’s Sukinda chrome mine, the committee deliberated on the case of BC Mohanty and Sons’ (Kamarda) chrome mines as well as the iron ore and manganese leases of RB Das (Dalpahar), Tarini Minerals (Deojhar), Gandhamardan Sponge Iron (Putuli Pani) and Gitarani Mohanty (Malimunda).
In toto, the Government has issued orders to extend the lease validity of 29 mines, 21 captive and the rest non-captive. Out of these 29 leases, 25 are iron ore and manganese mines. Supplementary lease deeds have been signed for 20 mines.