Page 46 - 15DEC2018E

INTERVIEW

in any body’s interest. If a small entre- ‘To bring the It is also stated in this this that Tata and Jindal are making goods from ‘Earlier, five-year-plan of a concrete bridge is generally around
preneur thinks that has nothing to do iron-rods made from the sponge iron iron sponge, then the question of iron- 75 years. Construction of steel bridge
with the BIS, it is this mindset we are quality of secondary are of poor quality whereas iron-rods rods manufactured from sponge iron mechanism was costs less and consumes lesser time,
trying to change gradually. Change of steel up to accepted manufactured from blast furnace being of poor quality does not arise. The in place. It was say one-third comparable to concrete
this mindset will bring the product of are of excellent quality; made from BIS Standard becomes applicable only bridge.
small entrepreneur to the level of qual- level, we had to blast furnace; what is the take of your when we either beat it or attain it. As finally cancelled I believe that a steel bridge becomes
ity on par with the quality of large steel import BIS standard Ministry on this? I have said, till today 86 percent steel because the operational at a much fasterpace than
plant. Undoubtedly, we have nothing to See, whether the steel is made from manufactured in the country is accord- the concrete one, and its maintenance
do with who prepares the report and and the resultant sponge iron or from blast furnace, we ing to BIS Standard and our attempt is population explosion costs less. Its best example is a 9-kil-
how; nonetheless, we have instructed impact was start of have nothing to do with it. Irrespec - to see that the remaining 14 percent was so high that the ometer long bridge built in Assam and
our Ministry since the publication of tive of the way steel is produced, our steel is also brought in accordance with a stadium in Manipur where with the
this report to discuss about this report pouring in of good parameter is one and that is that the the BIS Standard s soon as possible. Plan could not cope exception of 10-15 % essential items, rest
and to find out how it came about. It results’ steel produced should be according to The BIS Standard does not mean that with rising demands’ of the construction is steel-built. These
has also to be found out whether this BIS Standards. No producer does want it is a matter of competition between are new things and its increased use by
report has or does not have any author- that his steel should be of poor quality, Integrated Steel Plant and Small Steel the people will provide a boost to the
ity; what kind of analysis was there all producers want to produce quality Plant. It is not that even if the steel steel industry.
and what things have they tested to and India has not to import from abroad. steel. Even if there a few, they have also imported from abroad does not beat be compatible with BIS Standard. We
declare them failure according to what Essential requirements of steel can got their quality improved. India is the our standard, then we will not let it would like that all quality steel is pro- As you know, our country is the
BIS Standards? only be fulfilled, if we are equipped with world’s largest producer of sponge iron. enter our country. It is also possible that duced within the country. world’s largest sponge iron
appropriate technology. It is also neces- Let me tell you that non-coking coal is re- prospects of dumping from abroad are producer and the penetration of
Will the Ministry investigate? sary to take into account the technol- quired to manufacture sponge iron and increasing. China has amassed produc- But according to the reports, some small entrepreneurs in this area
We will get it fully investigated. Thus far, ogy factor, because when our technology this variety of coal is available in India in tion of steel and the US has imposed well-known engineers say that is increasing, while Jindal was still
we have gathered some data and will get of high quality then only we will be able huge quantities. While manufacturing sanctions on it. Under such a situation, the reason for falling of any bridge dominating this field. Is it not that
it investigated next week and only then to produce high quality steel. Our ex- steel from blast furnace, coking coal is there is only one way to import from or house is due to negligence in the agency that prepared the report
we will be able to arrive at some conclu- port of quality steel to other countries is required, which has to be imported and outside, especially when the private maintenance in the design? Reports was working at the behest of Jindal
sion. I would like that this type of inves- contingent upon our ability and capac- it exerts a great pressure on our foreign sector is not producing that good only also state that the reason for the group? What do you say about this?
tigation is undertaken by an authorized ity to produce high quality steel within exchange reserves. When the country’s that good need to be imported and even collapse of bridges or houses in the Who knows who is doing what? It is not
agency then it would be better for the the country. largest manufacturing companies like if we manufacture that then it should country is attributable to the use of about Jindal, but between Integrated
industry. It will also be good for the sec- poor-quality steel. Steel Plant and small Plant and there
ondary industry. Look, if a 70-year old or a 100-year old are different ways to build secondary
bridge collapses, there could be a defect steel. There are three ways; the first
As your Ministry has fixed the target in its engineering design or its mainte- being the sponge iron and the other
of producing 300 million tons took nance could be defective, but it is not being a blast furnace. But now that era
by 2030 for the development of our proper to attribute its fall or collapse has gone when secondary steel used
country’s infrastructure? What do due to steel. However, whenever I speak to lag behind the blast steel. You must
you have to say about this? in Ministry, I always emphasize that have seen that at one time Mandi Go-
There are two things in it: First to cre- we should produce such a steel that vindgarh was the largest steel market
ate a productioncapacity of 300 million in case of breakdown or in the case of and then it underwent a change, but it
tons. It seems to me that there is no big a collapse or destruction should com- has been revived again. Now the entre-
deal in it and it can be achieved in the ply with world standards and cause no preneurs have come to realize that they
next 12 years. This is our roadmap for 12 damage from the engineering point of cannot withstand the market without
years. This will require an investment of view. There should not be compromise any compaction. Even sponge iron has
nearly Rs 10 lakh crore. But in this regard, with the quality of steel. A few days ago, Too much innovation has taken place in
I believe that the objective should be not we got a survey done on 1,5 00 small sponge iron in making steel. It is thing
only to create capacity for steel produc- and big bridges that are required to of the past when sponge iron was used
tion, but also to encourage quality steel be replaced or repaired. Most of them to make secondary steel. Now the new
production. It is because if we have to are made of concrete and only a few technology that has come in, the qual-
compete in the global steel market, then are of steel and some are to be built ity of steel made from the scrap will be
products of our steel industry should afresh. We told them to utilize our steel, better than all the steel. It has become
be of highest quality like steel for auto- because life quality of steel bridges almost redundant to talk about how
motive, steel for defence preparedness, would be more durable as compared to is it made – either through integrated
surgical instruments and instruments concrete bridges and it would be easier plant or small plant? What matters is
for medical science etc. The steel used to replace them as well. The life span of its quality.
for manufacturing launching pads for a steel bridge is estimated to be about
the satellite has been provided by SAIL 125 years whereas life-span expectancy LETTERS@TEHELKA.COM

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43-47 Q&A Anil Singh.indd 4 11/30/2018 6:14:26 PM 43-47 Q&A Anil Singh.indd 5 11/30/2018 6:14:33 PM