Bhubaneswar: Closure order for Tata’s Sukinda Chrome mines extended by another few days, as the next hearing of the case at the Odisha High Court has been fixed on 18 Aug, 2014.
The case is related to a petition filed by Indian Metals & Ferroalloys (IMFA) for redistribution of the mine among the captive producers in the state. Similar case has been filed by other Ferroalloys producers like Ferroalloys Corporation (FACOR), Navbharat Ventures and Ballasore Alloys.
The petitioners have argued that the actual Chrome ore requirement of Tata Steel is limited as compared to its production. On the other hand, they would need more raw materials in view of their future expansion plans; hence they should be allotted more Chrome mines.
The Odisha High Court on 10 Jun, 2014 had passed an interim order directing the state government not to renew the mining lease till 19 Jun, 2014. However, the date has been extended several times since then.
Production at the Chrome mine has been stopped since mid-May after the Supreme Court ordered the suspension of 26 Iron ore and Manganese ore mines in Odisha.
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