India’s Supreme Court has raised the ceiling on annual iron ore production in the southern state of Karnataka, easing the curbs on the state’s iron ore industry for the second time this year.
The top court raised the ceiling on iron ore mining from 28mn t in the district of Ballari to 35mn t, and from 7mn t to 15mn t collectively for the districts of Chitradurga and Tumkuru.
The central empowered committee (CEC) has recommended a complete relaxation of the ceiling limit, but the court took a more gradual approach.
“Conservation of ecology and the environment must go hand in hand in the spirit of economic development,” chief justice N V Ramana said.
The Supreme Court had cancelled mining leases for 51 iron ore mines in 2012 in Karnataka for violating environmental and mining laws and put in place a production ceiling of 30mn t/yr for the region. The output cap was later raised to 35mn t in 2017.
The Indian government’s ministry of mines has recently sought industry consultation to mandate 80pc of total iron ore produced in a year by a mining leaseholder that is below 58pc Fe to be upgraded to 62pc Fe and above.
Retrieved from:
https://www.argusmedia.com/en/news/2365562-indias-top-court-eases-karnataka-iron-ore-mining-curb?backToResults=true