Goa-based Indian mining company Sociedade de Fomento Industrial Private Limited (SFI) has not surrendered the iron ore mining lease secured by it in the eastern Indian province of Odisha, a company official has stated.
“Insofar as SFI is concerned, it has not surrendered its mining lease and rather the company was compelled to initiate legal proceedings due to the change in conditions imposed by the Odisha government after the process of auction was already underway and after SFI was declared a successful bidder,” Partha Sarathi Banerjee, director of SFI said.
The petition at present is sub judice before the High Court. In the said petition, the company is seeking to enforce the conditions of the auction, SteelOrbis understands.
In the proceedings before the High Court, the state government through its advocate general assured the court that the government would not be taking any coercive action.