Odisha Mines, Pellet Plants to Resume Operations after State Order

-Dispatches to be hit owing to curbs on inter-state movement, limited manpower

Operative mines as well as sponge iron plants and pellet complexes in Odisha will recommence production after a state order clarified that the lockdown did not apply to such industrial units.

A notification by the state department of health & family welfare exempted any service or establishment dealing with the production, supply or distribution of coal, power, steel or fertilizers from the curbs since they fell under the rubric of ‘Essential Services’.

Moreover, the restriction will not be applicable to operation of mines of iron ore, coking coal, thermal coal, limestone, dolomite, manganese and chromite as well as operations of ferro alloys and iron ore pellet plants which are supplying criticial raw materials for steel making.

It may be noted that all operative mines of iron ore, chromite, manganese etc and sponge iron plants had temporarily shut their establishments Tuesday evening after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a nationwide lockdown and advised people to stay indoors in view of the threat posed by Covid-19.

“Iron ore and other mines as well as sponge iron facilities will resume operations on Thursday. Some transportation of iron ore might begin tonight after the enabling order of the state government. But, the despatch of minerals will be limited due to curbs already in place for inter-state movement. Moreover, the availability of manpower to man the mines and carry out supplies is also limited”, said a leading standalone miner.

Earlier, in a letter to state Chief Secretaries, Union steel secretary Binoy Kumar had clarified that restrictions need not be imposed on operations of steel plants (integrated as well as Induction Furnace or Electrical Arc Furnace based steel units), entry and exit of workers engaged in these plants, movement of raw materials by rail, road or waterways/sea of raw materials and intermediate or finished steel products to and from such plants.

Since mining activities were integral to the operations of the steel plants, the curbs also did not apply to the operations of mines of iron ore, coking coal, thermal coal, limestone, dolomite, manganese, chromite as well as operations of sponge iron, ferro alloys and iron ore pellet plants which supply critical raw materials for steel making.