The Federation of Indian Mineral Industries (FIMI), Southern Region, has sought the intervention of Karnataka Government and Union Ministry of Mines over large quantities of iron ore brought into Karnataka despite huge stocks of iron ore in the State.

FIMI has raised serious concerns about the impact on employment, revenue, and infrastructure development in the State due to rising imports of iron ore while there is abundant supply and stocks of minerals in Karnataka.

“The concurrent restrictions on trade of iron ore in Karnataka are suppressing the growth of the sector and have significant deleterious effects on the industry and also the State exchequer,” FIMI said in a release.

FIMI seeks Karnataka government support to sell iron ore outside State

Carbon-negative

In Karnataka, around 4 lakh tonnes of iron ore had been imported in October 2020 from the Eastern part of India through South-East Railway, at almost 1,620 km. FIMI had highlighted concerns with the Karnataka Principal Secretary, Mines & SSI, in November 2020.

In the past four months since FIMI raised the issue with the State government, almost 15 lakh tonnes of iron ore have been imported into Karnataka. Transportation of iron ore across 1,620 km is completely carbon-negative and environmentally unfriendly, it said.

FIMI debunks mine auction process; blames it for raw material shortage