The Sri Krishnadevaraya University (SKU) in Bellary is planning to start a Mineral Processing Department in the varsity in collaboration with Tianjin University of Technology, China, to teach mineral mining technology for students, both from India and China, who visit the country under Indo-China cultural exchange programme. Varsity vice-chancellor Manjappa Hosamani visited Tianjin city in China in August as part of a delegation of 13 universities from across the country under the Indo-China cultural exchange programme sponsored by Chinese People’s Association.
Mr Hosamani told Deccan Chronicle that Tianjin Polytechnic University and Tianjin University of Technology have shown interest in collaborating with SKU to start courses on mining technology and other subjects. “We are yet to discuss this issue with our government and start the process to get approval. Likewise, the Chinese varsities need to get consent from their government for tie-up with us. Then, we can have a Memorandum of Understanding to start the course and also exchange of teachers and students”, pointed Mr Hosamani. The teacher-student exchange programmes play a vital role in building a knowledge-based economy, he stressed. Sources in the mining industry said that in the last 10 years, China has spent $40-50 billion annually on infrastructure development. Despite scarce iron ore reserves, it has emerged as the world’s largest steel producer, accounting for 44 per cent of the global output based on imports of high-grade ore from India, particularly Karnataka.
It was the China boom post-2002 that triggered rampant illegal mining in ore-rich Bellary, and miners, transporters and suppliers flouted every rule in the book to plunder the natural resources of the state to feed China’s voracious appetite for iron ore. After over a decade of unbridled mining, the the Supreme Court had to finally intervene last year to check illegal mining.