SAIL's iron ore mine at Gua in Jharkhand may reopen soon after nine months of closure. Extraction at Gua had stopped on June 15 last year in the absence of environment and forest clearance.
SAIL sources confirmed to Business Line that the operations at Gua might resume shortly as a major technical hurdle had been overcome. The Union Ministry of Environment and Forests had made Gua's clearance conditional on Jharkhand placing a detailed report on Saranda forest division where Gua mines are located.
On Wednesday a State Government committee submitted a report to Dr A.K. Malhotra, Principal Chief Conservator of Forest of Jharkhand. According to State Government sources, Jharkhand will now forward the report along with its recommendation to the Environment Ministry for final permission for restarting operation at Gua.
The report was prepared by a three-member expert committee after a detailed six-month study on wildlife and biodiversity management of Saranda. The delay in formation of the committee caused discontinuation of mining at Gua.
SAIL, it is learnt, facilitated preparation of the report.
A senior State Government official told Business Line over phone that Jharkhand lost substantial revenue from Gua this fiscal owing to the stoppage of operations.
“A comprehensive wildlife and biodiversity management plan for the Saranda region is ready and would be submitted to the Union Ministry of Forests and Environment shortly,” said a Jharkhand official.
Gua mines, among the oldest mechanised facilities of SAIL, produces 2.4 million tonnes a year, which is being now expanded to 10 mt. The mines employ around 550 regular workers and about 500 contract labourers.