Public Sector National Aluminium Company seems to be heading for major crisis this month as the 30-year-old mining lease of company’s only bauxite mine in Koraput district is about to expire on November 16 with no signs of the lease getting renewed in the next couple of weeks. The central and north block of Panchpatmali bauxite mines in Damanjodi block of Koraput district spread over 4,692.05 hectares is the only working mine with Nalco. It produces 6.3 million tonne of bauxite per annum. Of the 4,692.05 hectare, Nalco surrendered 1,288.76 hectare in May 2002. In July 2010, Nalco surrendered 2,087.918 hectare to the state government. The company has now sought temporary working permit for a year over broken-up forest land of 921.70 hectare in the same mine. As per a circular of the environment ministry, all projects involving diversion of forest land would need environmental clearance. The ministry has also made it mandatory for companies to have public hearing before they apply for clearance. The public hearing has not taken place due to Maoist threats in Koraput, which has also held up the temporary permit. Jiban Mohapatra, DGM (coordination) said that all efforts were on to get the necessary clearances, but admitted there existed a danger of the mines shutting down. “It’s a Central PSU. Therefore we expect the Centre to be lenient. But we are not sure of getting clearances before November 16,” he said.