Mining and steel plant will end Red terror: Thriveni MD

Nagpur: Thriveni Earthmovers Private Limited plans to start the first phase of its pellet-making unit and steel plant at Kondseri in Gadchiroli by the next financial year. This would entail an investment of Rs5,000-odd crore.
“In about 18 months, the company expects to create around 5,000 direct jobs,” said Balasubramanian Prabhakaran, managing director of Thriveni. Financial closure for the immediate expansion will happen soon, he added.
The expansion of the iron ore mines at Surjagarh in Maoist-infested Gadchiroli district and setting up of the steel plant would go side by side. Thriveni has taken up a sizeable stake emerging as co-promoter of Lloyds Metals and Energy Limited (LMEL), which is carrying out the mining project in the district.
Talking to TOI after the public hearing on expansion of the iron ore mines from the present capacity of 3 million tonnes in a year to 10 million tonnes, Prabhakaran said the plan is to set up an integrated steel complex. The entire project would lead to an investment of Rs24,000 crore, he said. At present the company has invested Rs1,200 crore in the project. The mines and the proposed plant are at a distance of 80km.
Once the integrated steel complex at Kondseri and the iron ore mines come up in full scale, it would fade out the Maoist influence in the area, he said. Locals, who were scared of working in the mines a couple of years ago, are now seeking jobs,” said Prabhakaran, adding major concern of the locals was jobs, education, healthcare and better lifestyle.
However, the jobs also have high skill requirement and hence the company will be investing substantially in setting up skill development facilities in the area, said the MD.
The project would be coming up in phases. A new road is also being built by the government avoiding the existing route which goes through villages. The company will be contributing through the district mining fund for building the road.
The road is being projected as a mining corridor, which can also be used by other entities to transport raw materials to manufacturing facilities, he said. Prabhakaran, however, stressed that a railway line would be preferable option for the industry. Even as the company is ready to build a siding connecting its mines, the government should develop Wadsa-Gadchiroli railway line, he added.
On the public hearing, he said there were public representatives from the area and the company would be addressing all their concerns.