Team Goemkarponn
DHARBANDORA: The Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has recommended the issuance of Terms of Reference (ToR) for an Environmental Impact Assessment study for a proposed iron ore mining project at the Codli Mineral Block.
The project, proposed by JSW Steel Limited, is estimated to cost around ₹500 crore and involves mining operations in Block-XII of the Codli lease area. The proposal targets an annual iron ore output of 3.5 million tonnes, along with overburden and waste generation of 8.21 million tonnes, taking total excavation to 11.71 million tonnes per annum.
The mining lease spans approximately 377 hectares and includes plans for multiple processing facilities such as primary and secondary crushers, a dry screening unit, and wet beneficiation plants, designed to handle large-scale ore processing.
According to submissions made to the EAC, the lease area comprises government revenue land, private holdings, alvara land, and forest land, with a portion falling under forest classification. The company has stated that no human habitation exists within the mining block, and therefore no displacement of residents is expected.
The Codli mining belt, previously worked by earlier leaseholders, is among the largest mineral-bearing regions in the state, with both forested and non-forest stretches forming part of the operational zone.
While granting the environmental study mandate, the EAC has also directed that several specific conditions be followed before the project proceeds to the next stage of clearance.
