Centre clears plan to more than double iron-ore output at Lloyds mine in Maharashtra's Maoist-affected Gadchiroli
The Union Environment Ministry's Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) on non-coal mining projects has recommended environmental clearance for Lloyds Metals and Energy Ltd. to more than double iron-ore output at its Surjagarh mine in Maharashtra's Gadchiroli district—from 10 million tonnes per annum to 26 MTPA.
The approval — recommended for a region long affected by Maoist violence — comes as both the Maharashtra government and the Centre push to bring more industry into Gadchiroli. It also follows, by just a few weeks, another green light from the Environment Ministry to clear over 900 hectares of forest and cut more than 100,000 trees for Lloyds Metals and Energy's ore-washing plant. That plant will 'clean' the iron ore—removing dirt and other unwanted bits—to produce higher-quality material for steelmaking.
According to the minutes of the EAC meeting held on May 15, the clearance was granted with both standard and project‐specific conditions, including compliance with a wildlife management and conservation plan.
The mine lease lies within the Bhamragad Reserve Forest, an area of hills and plains that's part of a much larger, uninterrupted stretch of woodland running from Maharashtra into Chhattisgarh. In April, a sub-committee of the EAC visited the site and made recommendations on how to protect the local wildlife. They pointed out that because this forest isn't broken up by roads or farms, animals can move freely between different parts of it—like using an open highway through the trees—which helps keep the entire ecosystem healthy.
'Given the ecological sensitivity of the Bhamragad reserve forest, the project proponent shall implement recommendations of the wildlife conservation plan in letter and spirit in consultation with the forest department. Periodic monitoring of flora and fauna should be continued in the 10 km radius of the project,' the EAC said, as per the minutes.
The EAC approved the mine expansion even though several petitions against earlier enlargements are still being heard by the Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court. They acknowledged these ongoing court cases and reminded the company to follow every environmental law and safety measure exactly as prescribed.
The Surjagarh iron ore mining lease, spread over 348 hectares, was initially granted to the company for 20 years in 2007 and was later extended until May 2057, according to company documents submitted to the Centre. Though the company received the mining lease in 2007, mining operations commenced only in 2016, but had to be halted as it was targeted by Maoists. It also faced protests and agitations from tribal communities over issues of tribal and forest rights.
In December 2016, Maoists torched 69 trucks and three earth movers at the Surjagarh mine in Gadchiroli – one of the biggest arson attacks by Maoists in the region. Before the 2016 violence, Jaspal Singh Dhillon, vice president of Lloyd Steel, was shot dead, allegedly by Maoists.
In December 2022, the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board filed a complaint under Sections 15, 16 and 19 of the Environment Protection Act, 1986, in the Court of the First Class Judicial Magistrate at Aheri, Gadchiroli. Company officials voluntarily pleaded guilty and were convicted, according to ministry and court records.
In the 2021–22 financial year, the mine produced just 3.207 million tonnes of iron ore—85 percent of its permitted 3 MTPA capacity. This shortfall was largely due to Maoist activity and related security concerns in the region.
Maoist insurgency in Gadchiroli has been ebbing gradually owing to operations of the state's elite anti-Naxal commando force C60 as well as operations of the Central forces.
Chief Minister Fadnavis spent the first day of the year in Gadchiroli, where 11 Maoists surrendered before him and he also inaugurated a 32-km long state transport bus service.
An award-winning journalist with 14 years of experience, Nikhil Ghanekar is an Assistant Editor with the National Bureau [Government] of The Indian Express in New Delhi. He primarily covers environmental policy matters which involve tracking key decisions and inner workings of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. He also covers the functioning of the National Green Tribunal and writes on the impact of environmental policies on wildlife conservation, forestry issues and climate change.
Nikhil joined The Indian Express in 2024. Originally from Mumbai, he has worked in publications such as Tehelka, Hindustan Times, DNA Newspaper, News18 and Indiaspend. In the past 14 years, he has written on a range of subjects such as sports, current affairs, civic issues, city centric environment news, central government policies and politics. ... Read More
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Mint
2 hours ago
- Mint
Demand for MNREGS jobs up, but may decline soon
Demand for unskilled jobs under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) rose in May and spilled into the early part of June. Economists, however, said the clamour for jobs does not necessarily indicate a rise in rural distress, and that demand will wane once monsoon picks up and farmers start sowing. According to the latest data from the rural development ministry, 28.39 million rural households sought work under the scheme in May, against 27.18 million a year earlier. In the first seven days of June, demand touched 13.48 million, compared with 26.40 million in all of June 2024. The increase in demand in May and June came after demand cooled the previous month. In April, demand under MNREGS fell to 20.12 million from 21.52 million a year earlier. The job guarantee programme assures up to 100 days of unskilled manual work annually to any adult in a rural household seeking employment. Demand for work typically rises when opportunities in farm or non-farm sectors decline. Demand for jobs under MGNREGS typically rises during lean seasons when farming and construction activities decline, a government official said on the condition of anonymity. "Rural conditions are likely to improve in the coming months with forecasts of a better monsoon this year. However, uneven rainfall distribution remains a concern and will need close monitoring," the person added. The latest data comes against the backdrop of robust rural consumption underpinning India's gross domestic product (GDP) growth of 7.4% for Q4 FY25 and an overall GDP growth rate of 6.5% for FY25. According to the National Statistics Office, rural consumption rebounded strongly in Q4, driven by improved agricultural output and rising incomes, significantly boosting overall GDP growth even as urban demand remained subdued. 'The rise in MGNREGS job demand is likely due to the pre-sowing phase,' said Madan Sabnavis, chief economist at Bank of Baroda. 'Once sowing begins, the numbers should decline, only to rise again ahead of the kharif harvest. It's a seasonal trend and not indicative of any distress," he added. In FY25, demand for jobs under MGNREGS peaked in May 2024, followed by a steady decline over the rest of the year. While an above-normal monsoon and early rains in FY26 bode well for the rural economy, economists said that the spatial distribution of rainfall must be closely monitored, especially as excess rains could hurt production in states where onions and potatoes are grown. "The earlier-than anticipated arrival of monsoon and its spatial distribution needs to be monitored closely as these perishable items have a cobweb impact on prices," Bank of Baroda said in a 5 June research note. "Thus, vigilance is required for any weather-related disruptions on prices in the coming days," it added. Spokespersons for the ministries of finance and rural development did not respond to emailed queries seeking comment. Interestingly, the Centre has kept allocations for FY26 at ₹ 86,000 crore, unchanged from the last fiscal. However, the official mentioned above had earlier said the Centre will review its accounts around September-October to evaluate if additional funding is needed for certain schemes, including MGNREGS. 'If needed, allocations for MGNREGS could be revised—but only after the half-yearly review and based on the scheme's funding requirements," the official had said. To be sure, last December, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Rural Development and Panchayati Raj had urged the government to consider revising and increasing wage rates under the MGNREGS. The panel urged the rural development ministry to consult all stakeholders and revise MGNREGS wage rates, which have lagged behind inflation, stressing the urgent need for a fair and sustainable overhaul to protect rural workers' livelihoods. India's economic growth has moderated in recent quarters, weighed down by a mix of domestic and global factors. While GDP growth showed signs of recovery in the March quarter with a 7.4% surge—up from 6.2% in the previous quarter —FY25 growth at 6.5% fell well short of FY24's revised 9.2% expansion. "The RBI retained their growth forecast at 6.5% y-o-y for FY26, noting strong agricultural sector growth and rural demand, and a resilient services sector underpinning a recovery in urban demand," Goldman Sachs said in a 6 June report. "However, the governor also highlighted upside risks to the inflation outlook from weather and US 'reciprocal' tariff-related uncertainty," it added.
Indian Express
5 hours ago
- Indian Express
Centre clears plan to more than double iron-ore output at Lloyds mine in Maharashtra's Maoist-affected Gadchiroli
The Union Environment Ministry's Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) on non-coal mining projects has recommended environmental clearance for Lloyds Metals and Energy Ltd. to more than double iron-ore output at its Surjagarh mine in Maharashtra's Gadchiroli district—from 10 million tonnes per annum to 26 MTPA. The approval — recommended for a region long affected by Maoist violence — comes as both the Maharashtra government and the Centre push to bring more industry into Gadchiroli. It also follows, by just a few weeks, another green light from the Environment Ministry to clear over 900 hectares of forest and cut more than 100,000 trees for Lloyds Metals and Energy's ore-washing plant. That plant will 'clean' the iron ore—removing dirt and other unwanted bits—to produce higher-quality material for steelmaking. According to the minutes of the EAC meeting held on May 15, the clearance was granted with both standard and project‐specific conditions, including compliance with a wildlife management and conservation plan. The mine lease lies within the Bhamragad Reserve Forest, an area of hills and plains that's part of a much larger, uninterrupted stretch of woodland running from Maharashtra into Chhattisgarh. In April, a sub-committee of the EAC visited the site and made recommendations on how to protect the local wildlife. They pointed out that because this forest isn't broken up by roads or farms, animals can move freely between different parts of it—like using an open highway through the trees—which helps keep the entire ecosystem healthy. 'Given the ecological sensitivity of the Bhamragad reserve forest, the project proponent shall implement recommendations of the wildlife conservation plan in letter and spirit in consultation with the forest department. Periodic monitoring of flora and fauna should be continued in the 10 km radius of the project,' the EAC said, as per the minutes. The EAC approved the mine expansion even though several petitions against earlier enlargements are still being heard by the Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court. They acknowledged these ongoing court cases and reminded the company to follow every environmental law and safety measure exactly as prescribed. The Surjagarh iron ore mining lease, spread over 348 hectares, was initially granted to the company for 20 years in 2007 and was later extended until May 2057, according to company documents submitted to the Centre. Though the company received the mining lease in 2007, mining operations commenced only in 2016, but had to be halted as it was targeted by Maoists. It also faced protests and agitations from tribal communities over issues of tribal and forest rights. In December 2016, Maoists torched 69 trucks and three earth movers at the Surjagarh mine in Gadchiroli – one of the biggest arson attacks by Maoists in the region. Before the 2016 violence, Jaspal Singh Dhillon, vice president of Lloyd Steel, was shot dead, allegedly by Maoists. In December 2022, the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board filed a complaint under Sections 15, 16 and 19 of the Environment Protection Act, 1986, in the Court of the First Class Judicial Magistrate at Aheri, Gadchiroli. Company officials voluntarily pleaded guilty and were convicted, according to ministry and court records. In the 2021–22 financial year, the mine produced just 3.207 million tonnes of iron ore—85 percent of its permitted 3 MTPA capacity. This shortfall was largely due to Maoist activity and related security concerns in the region. Maoist insurgency in Gadchiroli has been ebbing gradually owing to operations of the state's elite anti-Naxal commando force C60 as well as operations of the Central forces. Chief Minister Fadnavis spent the first day of the year in Gadchiroli, where 11 Maoists surrendered before him and he also inaugurated a 32-km long state transport bus service. An award-winning journalist with 14 years of experience, Nikhil Ghanekar is an Assistant Editor with the National Bureau [Government] of The Indian Express in New Delhi. He primarily covers environmental policy matters which involve tracking key decisions and inner workings of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. He also covers the functioning of the National Green Tribunal and writes on the impact of environmental policies on wildlife conservation, forestry issues and climate change. Nikhil joined The Indian Express in 2024. Originally from Mumbai, he has worked in publications such as Tehelka, Hindustan Times, DNA Newspaper, News18 and Indiaspend. In the past 14 years, he has written on a range of subjects such as sports, current affairs, civic issues, city centric environment news, central government policies and politics. ... Read More
Hans India
12 hours ago
- Hans India
Bandar port will start ops from July 2026
Vijayawada: Minister for Mines & Geology Kollu Ravindra on Saturday said that Bandar port would start functioning from July 2026. He said the port would increase employment opportunities for local youth. Participating in the Machilipatnam Beach Festival on Saturday, the minister said that Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan had been taking steps to create employment opportunities for youth and accelerate economic growth in State. The minister said that the Masula Beach Festival was organised from 2014, but later the YSRCP government neglected the festival. The Minister said that a detailed project report (DPR) had been prepared for the development of tourism in Machilipatnam under the Centre's Swadeshi Darshan scheme. He said entrepreneurs were coming forward to develop resorts at Manginapudi beach. He said players from 29 States attended the national beach kabaddi championship in this year's festival. District Collector DK Balaji, SP R Gangadhara Rao and other officials participated in the beach festival on the second day on Saturday.
