By Anurjay Dhal
RAJKANIKA/KENDRAPARA (ODISHA): With lease period of 21 Iron Ore and Manganese Mines blocks under Joda-Koira circles of mineral rich Keonjhar and Sundargarh, ended on March 31 and for which, after completion of bidding, the Odisha Government has started issuing Letter of Intent (LoT) to Preferred Bidders, operations in at least 19 blocks including 7 in Koira and 12 in Joda closed their operations.
Near about 23 including 15 under Koira and 8 under Joda Mining circles of Sundargarh and Keonjhar are still continuing operations as their lease period not expire.
Sources said, after closer of 7 mining blocks, as many 15 more still running under Koira mining circle of Sundargarh and 8 under Joda in Keonjhar. Jharkhand’s Chaibasa headquarters, Rungta Mines Ltd Group, has only 2 running Mines under Koira circle after it lost around 5 running blocks. Sources in Koira said, apart from RML, 1 each mines block running, is being held by Jindal Steel and Power Ltd, which also bagged the Guali Block under Joda circle, earlier held by RP Sao and Sons, Essel Mining and Industries Ltd, MGM Minerals Ltd, MG Mohanty, Penguin Trading Agency Pvt Ltd, JN Patnaik, SN Mohanty, National Enterprises, Korp Resources, OMC, SAIL, Kanakdhara Mining, Geetarani Mohanty, and KC Pradhan.
While under Joda Circle in Keonjhar, operational mines included 1 each of KC Pradhan, Tarini Prasad Mohanty, Indrani Patnaik, DR Patnaik, Tarini Minerals Pvt Ltd, Sarda Mines Pvt Ltd, Shree Metaliks, Prakash Industries Ltd and few others.
Operations under Joda Circle in Keonjhar, have been stopped at 12 blocks including KJS Alluwallia grabbing Nuagaon iron mines, KP Enterprises holding Thakurani Mines, Rungta Mines Ltd holding Jajang mines, Mangilal Rungta holding Kalimati siljoda Mines, Rungta Sons holding Katasahi Mines, Essel Mining holding Kasia Mines and Jilling Mines, KN Ram Roida –II mines, Kalinga Mining Corporation mines, Sirajjudin and Co Balada Mines, RP Sao Guali Mines and Pattnaik Minerals Joribahal Mines.
Operations stooped in 7 blocks under Koira in Sundargarh including AMTC Pvt Ltd, Teherai Iron and Managnese Mines of BICO Pvt Ltd, Kanther-Koira Manganese Mines of Rungta Mines Ltd, Kalmang Managanese mines of RML, Nadidihi Iron and Manganese BICO Pvt Ltd, Nadidihi Iron and Manangse mines of Feegrade &Co Pvt Ltd and Gonua Iron and Managnese block of PK Ahluwalia.
The Odisha Government has given 6 months extension time to old lease holder of as many as 21 Iron, Ore and Manganese mines blocks under Joda-Koira and Rairangpur circles of State’s mineral bearing Keonjhar-Sundargarh-Mayurbhanj districts, to transport their legalised produced minerals after the lease period expired on March 31 in view of the nationwide lockdown to prevent the spread of COVID-19, sources in State Steel and Mines Department, said.
