The iron ore crisis at KIOCL Limited will soon be discussed by chief minister Siddaramaiah and officials in Bengaluru. Employees expect the government to arrive at a favourable decision on allotment of mining land for the company in the state.
The company, which stopped its mining activities at its mines of Kudremukh in Chikkamagaluru district in 2005 following Supreme Court order, has been seeking state and central governments for mining lease in the state. Kudremukh Employees Union recently met the chief minister seeking government intervention to save the company, which was Asia's largest iron ore mining and pelletisation complex and the country's biggest 100% export oriented unit engaged in the business of exporting high quality iron oxide pellets and pig iron. The Company's Mangalore units of Pellet Plant and Blast Furnace Units are running with the outsourced haematite iron ore to convert into iron oxide pellets. Kudremukh Employee's Union vice-president HG Kenche Gowda said the company is now dependent on iron ores from Kirandul, Bacheli and Chattisgarh.
Very soon, a secretary-level meet will be held in Bengaluru to find solution to the crisis in KIOCL Limited. "A delegation of union leaders, district in-charge minister B Ramanath Rai, ministers K Abhaychandra Jian, MLAs Mohiuddin Bava, JR Lobo, MLC Ivan D'Souza and Mayor Mahabala Marla held discussion with the chief minister," Gowda said adding that the date for the meet has not been decided yet.
Gowda said the company, which has nearly 900 employees including over 600 non-executive staff, is not making profit due to lack of iron ore in the state. "Though the company is continuing the pelletisation with the iron ore brought from other states, it does not yield profit. We have been putting pressure on governments ever since the mining activities in Kudremukh has been banned with the Supreme Court confirming the status of Kudremukh National Park area in 2005. We demand that the state government should take initiatives to allot mines at Ramanadurga in Ballary district, which is reserved for the company," he added.
MLC Ivan D'Souza said that a favourable decision will be taken with regard to the company at the secretary level meeting.
Source: The Times of India
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