Odisha has asked Steel Authority of India (SAIL), the
country's largest domestic steel producer, to stop operations at Bolani iron
ore mine after forest clearance expired on February 11, a government official
said.
“It was a three-month temporary working permission.
They have been asked to stop all kinds of mining activities till they obtain
the clearance,” U.C. Jena, Odisha's deputy director for mines, told
Reuters.
The mine, which is spread over 1,321.45 hectares, prodcues
10 million tonnes of iron ore annually and supplies to several plants of SAIL.
The state-run company has an annual steel prodcution capacity of 14 million
tonnes.
A.K. Singh, chief communication officer at raw material
division at SAIL, Kolkata, said the mining was likely to resume soon as the
company hopes to obtain necessary clearance in two-three days.
“It is just a formality. Any day it will be
cleared,” added Singh.
SAIL is expected to boost its iron ore requirements by 68
percent to 39 million tonnes in 2013 from 23.25 million tonnes in 2010 to meet
expansion needs.
Source: Reuters
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