The Orissa steel and mines ministry has mooted an idea of long-term supply arrangement with small and medium steel and iron industries.
“The steel ministry has written a letter to the Orissa Mining Corporation to explore the possibility of long-term supply arrangement with the industries which do not have captive iron ore mines,” steel and mines secretary Ashok Dalwai said on Monday.
Mr Dalwai was addressing a press conference to provide details about forthcoming three-day international convention on - “Clean, green and sustainable technologies in iron and steel making,”- to begin here from Wednesday.
Many sponge iron, small and medium scale steel units not having access to captive mines like the large and mega units are facing the heat with the OMC slashing the price of iron ore only marginally. This has led to closure or drastic fall in capacity utilization of several units at Kalinganagar and elsewhere in the state due to global downturn.
“In fact, we in Orissa have also seen positive growth in steel output. There are indications of a turnaround by the last quarter of 2010 and stabilization by 2013,” Mr Dalwai said adding that although the steel industry in the world felt the heat of recession, India and China remain less affected by it and maintained their growth momentum by achieving an 8 % growth.
Mr Dalwai said the purpose of the exercise was to find ways how to achieve sustainable development without harming the ecology.
“Steel industry has been a guzzler of natural resources and influences climate change materially. Energy intensive processes and carbon intensive raw-materials also pose threat to environment. All these concerns will be discussed during the convention,” Mr Dalwai informed.
The convention, among others, is likely to be attended 50 high profile delegates from different parts of the globe, including Europe and America.
Representatives from iron and steel industry, technology suppliers, mining companies, academicians, environment specialists and policy makers will deliberate on subjects like energy efficiency and conservation, technologies in iron and steel making, utilization low grade resources and improved management practices, eco-friendly technologies in iron and steel industry, regulatory mechanism for protection of environment, resettlement and rehabilitation and addressing the social concerns.
“The convention is the Stage II activity after industrialisation. The focus of the convention is to find ways how to execute project without affecting local environment and climate,” chief secretary Ajit Kumar Tripathy said on Monday at a media briefing.
Source: Economic Times
No comments:
Post a Comment