Moscow: Steel giant ArcelorMittal, owned by
NRI tycoon Laxmi Mittal, will continue coal mining operations
in Siberia and no miners would be laid-off.
According to an agreement reached between the regional
government of Russia's coal mining region of Kemerovo in
Western Siberia and ArcelorMittal, the trans-national
corporation will invest in the Pervomaiskaya mine's
modernisation to keep it functioning in accordance with the
local labour and ecological laws.
In exchange for the efforts of ArcelorMittal, the local
government would ensure the sale of coal produced by it, the
ITAR-TASS reported.
Earlier, the steel giant had planned to close
Pervomaiskaya coal complex and to offer early retirement to
workers. Following which, local governor Amana Tuleyev had
sent an angry telegram to Mittal to hand over the control of
mine to the Kemerovo government and warned that his licence
for the exploration and mining of a new prospective coal
deposit would be cancelled.
ArcelorMittal owns Pervomaiskya mine in the town of
Beryozovsky and 'Anzherskoye' in Anzhero-Suzhensk situated in
the Kemerovo region's coal basin.
Bureau Report
First Published: Thursday, August 06, 2009, 18:05