A delegation of employees from the Visvesvaraya Iron and Steel Plant (VISP), a public sector unit in Bhadravati, met Chief Minister Siddaramaiah at his residence in Bangalore on March 8 and requested him to sanction a captive mine for the firm at the earliest.
J.N. Chandrahasa, president of the VISP Workers’ Association, told The Hindu over telephone that the government had already allotted a 140-hectare captive mine for VISP in NEB range in Bellary district.
Some people had claimed ownership over part of this land. The State government has ordered a re-survey of the land.
The delegation requested that the exercise be completed at the earliest and the land handed over to VISP in an expedited manner.
In addition to this, the delegation requested the State government to sanction another 250-acre mine for VISP in Ramanadurga range in Bellary. The Chief Minister has promised to look into these issues after the Lok Sabha polls.
Minister of State for Primary and Secondary Education Kimmane Ratnakar and Bhadravati MLA M.J. Appaji were present in the meeting, he said.
At present, VISP is purchasing iron ore from open market. Mr. Chandrahasa said the production cost would come down after the captive mine was sanctioned.
The management of the Steel Authority of India Ltd. (SAIL), the largest steel producer in India, which is operating VISP, has also promised to invest funds for modernisation of the firm after the captive mine is sanctioned for it, he said.
