Damodar Rout

Bhubaneswar, Feb. 7: Odisha government today assured to consider the problems of the iron-ore crusher units facing closure.

The state’s steel and mines department had asked the mine owners to set up their own crusher units. This has led to closure of more than 200 iron-ore crusher units affecting the livelihood of lakhs of people.

Hit by the move, the owners of iron-ore crusher units took up the issue with the micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) department.

“The government has received a memorandum from the iron-ore crusher units. Appropriate steps would be taken after examining their demands,” said Damodar Rout, micro, small and medium enterprise minister, while speaking at a seminar on “MSME-East (Strengthening capabilities for local competitiveness)” organised by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) here today.

Sources said that there were about 247 iron-ore crushers across the state, mostly located in mineral-rich Sundergarh, Mayurbhanj and Keonjhar districts.

Rout also apprehended that the decision of allowing the mining owners to crush iron ores would result in smuggling of the minerals.

“The small and medium mineral-based industries of the state may find it difficult to get raw materials,” added Rout.

Earlier, the state government had decided not to allow the operations of crusher industries within 40km radius of their mineral source under the Odisha Minerals (Prevention of Theft, Smuggling and Illegal Mining and Regulation of Possession, Storage, Trading and Transportation) Rules.