EAC may consider NMDC's 2 projects in Chhattisgarh soon.

The Expert Appraisal Committee, the top advisory body in the Environment Ministry, is likely to take up next week two stalled projects of state-owned NMDC for grant of preliminary environment clearance.

The projects are the iron ore beneficiation plant of 4 million tonnes capacity at Bacheli and construction of a 150- km long slurry pipeline from Bacheli to NMDC's upcoming Rs. 15,525-crore steel plant in Nagarnar.

The Expert Appraisal Committee (for non-coal mining) will discuss grant of terms of reference to both the projects in its meeting, which is scheduled to be held on March 20-21, official sources said.

Both the projects are in Chhattisgarh, where NMDC's main iron ore mining operations are located. The two projects are vital raw material link to company's steel plant in the state, through which NMDC is venturing into the steel sector.

BS