Vedanta Aluminium Ltd Prasanna Acharya that bauxite reserves in non-forest area can be utilized to meet the needs of its one million tonne refinery, which has been shut down since December 5 due to non-availability of bauxite.
VAL had applied for 14 provisional lease and 12 mining lease of bauxite mines in the state close to its refinery. But it has not been allotted a single one.
Pleading before the Committee, the VAL executives sought allocation from some six non-operational bauxite mines for short-term supply of raw material to alumina plant on the basis of value addition purpose within the state. VAL has suggested the Committee to either open closed mines through the state owned Odisha Mining Corporation or through the Lease Holders.
It has also called for allotment of laterite pockets in Kalahandi and Rayagada either to some Tribal Society or OMC, handing over of areas already explored by the Directorate of Geology & Mining to be handed over to OMC for mining operation, priority to PL/ML processing of bauxite deposits in non-forest area among others.
The state government had called for the meeting Friday on supply of bauxite to the company's closed alumina refinery following several representations by local people to reopen the plant.
The closure of the refinery had impacted about 7,000 jobs, directly or indirectly in the State, leading to several agitations by the local population. The company has invested Rs 50,000 crore in the refinery along with an aluminium smelter of 1.5 mtpa and a captive power plant. According to Vedanta, the refinery was meant to operate through the grade of bauxite, which are available in Orissa only.
豫公网安备41010502003434号