Uranium Corporation of India ltd (UCIl) is hopeful of getting the renewal of Jadugoda uranium ore mine lease soon to keep mining activities in progress.
Addressing a press conference here on Thursday UCIl Chairman and Managing Director D Acharya said that the Jadugoda mine is closed since September 7, 2014 following a state government directive which was taken in light of recent amendments in the Mineral Concession Rules - 1960 , forbidding mining under deemed extension.
“We have completed our work and we are hopeful to get the lease approval soon which will help us to maintain production level," noted CMD.
Acharya informed that due to suspension of work at Jadugoda the company has adjusted around 700 employees to other mines like Narwapahar and Bagjata so that they workers don’t lose their and are engaged in other mines.
UCIl first got the mining lease at Jadugora uranium mines in 1967 for 20 years and subsequently the licence was renewed (described as first renewal) in 1987 for another 20 years that expired in 2007. Since then, the company has been carrying out mining in the area under deemed extension.
The order is confined only to the Jadugora mines. All the other uranium mines- Bagjata, Narwapahar, Turamdih, Banduhurang (all in East Singhbhum) and Mohuldih ( in Seraikela-Kharsawan district) are working as usual.
UCIl was incorporated on October 4, 1967. UCIl is a public sector enterprise under the Department of Atomic Energy.