By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR/BARBIL/CHAMPUA: The Jharkhand’s Chaibasa Headquarters’ Rungta Mines Limited, got a huge relief with locals in Odisha’s mineral bearing Keonjhar and Sundargarh backed the company’s expansion work. Keonjhar PD, DRDA Dr Udhab Chandra Majhi presided over both the meetings while Regional Pollution Control Officer Puskar Behera coordinated the programme.
Sources said at least 2 public hearing held to clear the move for expansion of 0.127-MTPA Karakhendra steel plant of the Rungta company to upgrade it to .606 MTPA crude steel along with installation of a power plant of 121 MW and expansion of.18-MTPA Karakolha sponge iron plant with DRI plant and 22 MW power plant.
Both these plants Karakolha and Karakhendra are situated near Barbil. The people supported the expansion of the steel plants but demanded that the company undertake CSR activities to solve issues relating to environmental pollution, health, education, communication, etc. The people urged both the industries and the Government to speed up development activities in the area. The public hearings were conducted in the presence of senior Government officials, industry representatives and community leaders. The Rungta Steel Mines Ltd project at Chaliama in Jharkhand had got the go ahead with the project proposal receiving the environmental nod last year.
The company even after losing most of its, some 5 running iron ore and manganese blocks in last concluded high premium bidding under Joda-Koira circles of Keonjhar and Sundargarh in Odisha, continued to keep its commitment for expansion of its projects in coal bearing Dhenknal and mineral rich , Barbil and Bonai in Keonjhar and Sundargarh. The ongoing expansion work of Rungta Mines Limited is likely to provide employment to some 500 people in the State.
Last year , Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had attended the ground breaking ceremony through video conference for Integrated Steel Plant expansion in Dhenkanal of Rungta Mines Limited. The projects for which ground-breaking was done are Rungta Mines Limited’s new unit for expansion of its Integrated Steel Plant project from 0.9 MTPA to 2.85 MTPA capacity at Jharbandh in Dhenkanal.
The 93rd State Level Single Window Clearance Authority (SLSWCA) had earlier cleared 2 projects of Rungta Mines Limited worth Rs 1,926 Crore. The proposal of Rungta Mines Limited for setting up of a 34 MTPA beneficiation plant in two phases was a big boost to the State’s metal downstream sector. The Rs. 975 crore project is likely to provide employment to about 290 people.
Besides, another proposal of Rungta Mines Limited to set up 20 MTPA underground slurry pipe line from its proposed beneficiation Plant at Bonai/Champua sub-division to its 3 different plant locations with an investment of Rs. 951 crore had also been approved by the SLSWCA. It is likely to provide employment opportunities for 72 people.
The Rungta Mines Ltd Group, which had lost at least half dozen running mines under Joda-Koira regions of State’s mineral rich Sundargarh-Keonjhar regions, in the last concluded bidding, following lease expired on March 31 this year, till has 2 running mines, which has lifespan of 15 years and more while the Big Merchant Miner is also eyeing on large share of 14 Virgin Blocks, which will be put for bidding soon.
Sources said Rungta Mines Limited is desperately waiting for State Steel and Mines Department’s move to auction as many as 14 Virgin mining blocks. Sources said, for which, Rungta Mines Limited, withdrew itself from Commercial Coal Block auction for 38 blocks. The company hopes, if it gets virgin blocks, it will find easy to run its multiple operations in Odisha without facing raw material problem.
