EICL urges Kerala government to help procure raw materials
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Five days after English Indian Clays Ltd (EICL) at Kochuveli here closed down without prior notification, the management has sought urgent intervention from the state government to procure raw materials so as to restart operations.
Mahesh S, deputy general manager (Operations) said the sudden closure of the units was due to shortage of clay.
“For the last two years, we have been facing shortage of clay, and that resulted in the sudden closure of our production units. In addition to the shortage, clearance for clay mining from various spits is pending,” he said in the statement.
Though applications were submitted to different departments concerned for permission for mining on July 15, 2019 no action has been taken so far.
EICL informed that under these circumstances the company cannot move forward and it is forced to close operations indefinitely. The EICL closed down its factories in Kochuveli and Thonnakkal on August 10. The company has been in the red for the past two years. However, considering the hardship of the 1,500 workers and their families, the company has been operating making use of its clay stock.
With the lockdown, the company incurred more loss. Mahesh said EICL mines clay in the non-blasting mode. It converts the areas from where clay is mined into pits for rainwater harvesting to replenish groundwater level.
“After completing mining in Pallippuram, EICL has restored the area into its original form. The mines in Thonnakkal are in company’s own areas,” he said.