The Vedanta Aluminium Limited asked the state government to allot small bauxite deposits for its defunct Lanjigarh refinery to resume operation.

Mr Mukesh Kumar COO of VAL made a presentation here to highlight the refinery's plight and possible solution to the current crisis before a three member inter-ministerial committee headed by finance minister Mr Prasanna Acharya.

Mr Kumar said that many small bauxite reserves are lying unutilized with the state government and could be made available for the 1 million tonne per annum refinery. The plant, which was set up on the assurance of the state government to provide raw material had to down its shutters on December 5th 2012 pushing a large number of families, dependent on the project for their livelihood in the remote Kalahandi district, to uncertainty.

He said that the refinery is desperate to survive. We offered an alternative solution to the government to take a view. The small bauxite deposits are with the state government. They are located in non-forest areas. There are also certain closed mines, which can be explored to meet our need.