Jharkhand has emerged as the
first state to make it mandatory for companies with captive iron ore mines to
set up pellet plants to utilize their increasing deposits of iron ore
fines.
Availability of surplus iron ore
in the state has also prompted the state's industry department to consider
providing special incentives for industries to set up pellet plants.
Additional chief secretary (mines
and geology) AK Sarkar said “This way the environmentally hazardous fines
will be used in the pellet plants and thus check pollution. At the same time,
it will generate additional revenue and employment opportunities in the state.
The blanket ban on sale of iron
ore fines by captive iron ore mines in Jharkhand has resulted in some captive
mines gathering huge stocks of fines.
“Two companies- Steel
Authority of India (SAIL) and Usha Martin -had been regularly seeking
permission to dispose of their huge stocks of iron ore fines. While SAIL has
generated a deposit of about 20 million tonnes of fines, Usha Martin has about
20 lakh tonnes.
In view of their repeated
requests, the state has decided to give them, and all captive mine owners, a
one-time permission to sell their surplus stocks, but with certain
conditions,” Sarkar said.
The government's move is likely
to attract new investment in pellet plants. The industry secretarysaid
while SAIL's Bokaro unit is in talks with Posco for starting
pelletisation, Essar, Sesa Goa and Adhunik group have also shown interest in
setting up pellet plants.
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