Allot three iron ore mines to APMDC, Centre urged

VIJAYAWADA: Obulapuram mines have not been operational since 2009. The lease period of three of the six mines has ended. Hence, the State government has urged the Centre to allot those three mines to the Andhra Pradesh Mineral Development Corporation (APMDC) so as to meet the iron ore requirement of the proposed Kadapa steel plant, said Director of Mines and Geology VG Venkat Reddy.

Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, in a memorandum submitted to Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his Delhi visit on Monday, urged the Centre to allot three iron ore mines at Obulapuram to the APMDC. In fact, the State government has been requesting the Centre for the same since 2019.

In a press release issued on Tuesday, Venkat Reddy said the objective behind the request for allotment of iron ore mines to the APMDC is to ensure uninterrupted supply of raw material to Kadapa steel plant once it becomes operational. “It will not only increase the revenue of the government, but also provide job opportunities to local youth. Most importantly, it will ensure that there is no scope for any controversies like in the past,” he explained.

Six iron ore mines at Obulapuram in Anantapur district were leased out from 1956 to 2007. Following allegations of illegal mining in 2009, the government had suspended leases of all the six mines.Meanwhile, the trial in the Obulapuram illegal mining case is still continuing in the Supreme Court. Further, the State government has clearly demarcated the inter-state boundaries.

“The lease of other three mines, which is up to 2057 and 2028, remains suspended. The court cases on the mines are still pending,” the Director said, while dismissing reports in a section of the media citing recent amicus curiae as factually incorrect and distortion of facts.