Bhubaneswar, May 12: Dr. Tapan Kumar Chand, CMD, NALCO cited the tremendous changes that have been brought in the mining activity in the recent past with respect to policy, transparency in allotment of mines through auction process, monitoring, District Mineral Fund, National Mineral Exploration Fund and surveillance on illegal mining activity using TAMRA. “Mining activity has the potential to contribute 1% to 2% more to the GDP and statistics reveal that minor minerals have immense scope in enhancing that contribution,” he said.
He was speaking at the 17th Annual Geominetech Conference on the 11 May 2017 at Bhubaneswar. The conference was inaugurated by Dr. Chand, along with other dignitaries.
While mentioning that mining operations are adopting scientific methods and focusing on conservation he said NALCO’s bauxite mining is a fine testimony to environmentally positive practices of mining. “In a once flat plateau where there was little or no plantation, we have planted 7.8 million trees and today have a lush forest in our mined out areas. Besides we also are processing the overburden from our mines and this will add nearly 60 million tonnes of bauxite to our resource base” he added.
Mining companies, he said, have the social responsibility of ensuring minimal disruption of the eco-system and this can be ensured only by adopting scientific methods. “Transparency, inclusive growth and sustainable mining should be the factors that guide all mining activities so that the community in also on board” he said.
The conference was attended by the entire mining collective and veteran mining professionals who felicitated Dr Chand as the Best CEO for promoting probity, integrity, transparency and inclusive growth.
Prof. Dr. G.B. Mishra delivered the key note address. Mr. Rakesh Kulsresth of DDGMS, Ghajiabad, Mr. A.B. Panigrahi, former COM, IBM, Nagpur, Prof. K. Pathak, Head Mining Engg Dept., IIT Kharagpur, Mr. R. Subramanian, Director of Mines Safety, Bhubaneswar and Mr. IAIN Edwards spoke on the occasion.
