nChhattisgarh's Mineral Resources department has issued a letter to the NCL Chief Executive Officer to decide the future course of action related to the Bailadila iron ore deposit 13 in view of protests by locals against the project.
The matter should be placed before the Director Board and a decision should be duly intimated to the state government, an official communication issued on Friday said.
The letter has been issued in the context of continuous protests by residents against the mining project.
The communication states that NCL has issued a Letter of Intent (LOI) on September 20, 2018 to the mine developer-cum-operator (MDO).
The NCL CEO was booked under Wildlife Act by the Forest Department after felling trees without permission in the forest area. The Dantewada Collector had also nullified the sanction given by the ‘Gram Sabha’ to the National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC).
NMDC is developing the 10 million tonne per annum (mtpa) Bailadila Iron Ore Deposit 13 at Kirandul in Dantewada district through a joint venture partnership with the Chhattisgarh Mineral Development Corp, called NMDC-CMDC (or NCL).
NMDC has 51 percent shareholding and CMDC 49 percent. NCL is the owner of Deposit No. 13 and the mining lease of Deposit 13 is registered with this joint venture company and even the land acquired for the project is in the name of the JV company.
NCL has the selling rights of iron ore produced from Deposit 13.
