Says sector severely wanting in pollution & regulatory compliance

The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), a non-government organisation based here and promoting sustainable development, today exposed major inefficiencies in the performance of India’s iron and steel sector. In a detailed rating, which took two years to compile, of the country’s 21 top steel makers, it found a general inefficiency in resource usage, widespread pollution and violation of environmental norms, among other deficiencies.

A Group of Ministers (GoM) headed by the Finance Minister, Mr Pranab Mukherjee, has recommended ‘forest clearance' for Mahan and Chhatrasal coal mines. But this comes with some riders.

A ministerial panel today recommended conditional forest clearances for developing Reliance Power's Chhatrasal and Essar-Hindalco's Mahan coal mines and also decided to do away with controversial '

The environment ministry denied on Monday that it had effected any changes in the way forest clearances were granted in wildlife areas and said they would continue to be routed through the National

The State-run National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) and Russian steel maker Severstal are likely to sign a final agreement to set up a steel plant in Bellary by the end of this year.

“Both companies have appointed legal consultants to study the project structure, and based on inputs, both firms will sign an agreement,” N K Nanda, Chairman and Managing Director, NMDC, told Deccan Herald on Thursday.

Bid to prevent captive mine owners from selling byproducts; make them add value to ore.

Chennai: State-run iron ore miner NMDC’s decision to increase ore prices by 10% has put the steel industry in a corner, most of whom were expected to announce price increases over the next few days

Mumbai: South Korean steel major Posco has sounded out unlisted Essar Steel for an alliance to build the planned $12 billion (12 million tonnes) steel plant in Orissa, which has run into repeated hurdles since the world’s fifth largest steel maker signed the construction agreement with the state government in 2005.

“They (Posco) have approached us (Essar Steel) through a third party to revive the Orissa steel plant,” a person with direct knowledge of the development, but doesn’t want to identified, told FE. “We are yet to respond to Posco’s proposal,” the person added.

NEW DELHI: The government has invoked special powers under the Electricity Act and directed the central and state regulators to implement a long-pending reform to allow industrial consumers to buy

Villagers living in Singrauli district of Madhya Pradesh have written to the ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) contending that handing over a sizeable section of the forests of Mahan will mean a loss to both the individual and community forest rights.

The letter was written on March 15, 2012, and was submitted to the local divisional forest officer. A decision on the allocation of the Mahan coal block to Mahan Coal Ltd, a joint venture company of Essar and Hindalco power plants, is awaiting a green signal from the environment ministry.