Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (AF)

Mangalore, Jan 9: The High Court passed the order for lease of Ramadurga mines in Bellary to Karnataka Iron Ore Company Limited (KIOCL), much to the relief of thousands of KIOCL employees who had been rendered jobless after its closure.

Addressing media persons here on Monday January 8, Kudremukh Shram Shakthi Sanghatan general secretary S Venkataraya said that in its order dated December 19, 2006, the High Court had ordered that 1,573 hectares of Ramadurga mines in Bellary should be leased out to KIOCL to alleviate the loss the company had suffered following Supreme Court’s order for closure back in 2005.

The state government did not allocate the iron ore deposits Ramadurga to KIOCL and had instead de-reserved them for private mining companies. The KIOCL management, following the closure of the company had failed to challenge the state government’s order, which resulted in the Sanghatan going to court.

With this order, the hopes of renovating the Mangalore Pellet Plant and its subsidiary Kudremukh Iron and Steel Company (KISCO) have been rekindled. More than 2,000 employees and 10,000 dependents will get jobs again, Venkataraya said.

Sanghatan president M Sureshchandra Shetty also spoke at the press meet.