Financial Express reported that clarifying stand on lease renewal of mining companies, the Jharkhand government has said it is “actively considering” renewal of such leases.

Mr Arun, Mines & geology department secretary, said that “They (the lease renewals) are under active consideration and (some of them are) in an advanced stage. Let the state Cabinet take a decision, after that it won’t take much time as we (the department) are very active.”

Mr Arun said that “The (lease renewal) applications (of different companies) are in different stages and each one is to be decided on merits and as per law.”

He said that as per the Supreme Court order, lease of mines which were running on deemed second and subsequent extensions were to be closed down.

He added that “The onus is on those (companies) who are running the mines on second or third deemed extension. It is they who need to fulfil statutory compliances.”

Jharkhand mines and geology department had on September 3rd brought a notification closing down 12 of its 17 operational iron ore mines in the state which were operating under deemed extension and whose leases for second and subsequent renewals were pending before the state government for quite some time.

The closure of 18 mines (12 iron ore, 5 bauxite and one uranium) in the state has also thrown economic activities in several townships around the mines out of gear.