The Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) of Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) has recently cleared the terms of reference (ToR), the crucial process for getting environmental clearance, to Koyagudem Open Cast-III mine proposed by Singareni Collieries Company Ltd (SCCL).
After getting the EAC nod for terms of reference for seeking environmental clearance, the SCCL has taken up preparation of Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) and Environment Management Plan (EMP) reports. The EAC has directed the project (mine) proponent to prepared the reports in consultation with public and subject to compliance of all conditions as specified and notified in the standard ToR applicable for coal mining projects.
The SCCL has proposed to take up Koyagudem Open Cast-III project for mining 3.6 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) to 4.8 MPTA in normative and peak stages of mining, respectively, in 1,607.6 hectares in Lingala Koyagudem belt of Bhadradri-Kothagudem district. According to SCCL officials, the total geological reserve in the proposed mine is 146.81 million tonnes (MT) and the mineable and extractable reserve would be 111.98 MT with 76.28% of extraction rate.
On the quality of the coal, the company had explained to EAC that 2.1 meters of top section of the 12.7 meter thick mineral reserve, out of total average seam of 14.8 metes, was G17 Grade and the bottom 10.6 meters has G13 grade coal. The project proponent stated that the coal mined in the project would be sold as part of basket linkage and it would create direct employment of 220, outsourced employment of 1,000 and indirect employment of another 1,635 and the life of the mine would be 29 years.
While seeking the ToR for environmental clearance for its new open cast mine, the SCCL stated that the benefits of the project is to optimise the excavation of reserves and to minimise the gap between coal demand and supply by extending the existing opencast projects considering their dip side reserves up to an optimum depth line and also to meet the coal demand in the region.
Out of the total land of 1,607.6 ha required for the project, 464.77 ha forest land has already been diverted, 448.67 ha of agricultural land has to be acquired and another 694.16 ha forest lands has to be diverted. The relief and rehabilitation would include relocation of 375 families of Dantala Tanda, Ippal Tanda and Babuji Tanda to be displaced by the project and 511 project affected families.
