As part of its plans to scale up coal production to 85 million tonnes per annum in the next five years from the current 61 million tonnes, Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) proposes to go both for expansion of the existing mines and taking up new ones.
The plan includes recruitment of miners needed to match the production targets.
According to officials, the company has chalked out plan to open 13 new open-cast and underground mines in a phased manner to reach the targeted production by the end of 2022-23.
In addition to Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao opening six new/expansion mines recently, the company has approached the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) seeking clearance for expansion of two existing mines and taking up one new mine. The expansion of two existing mines – Bellampally open cast-II and Kakatiya Khani-5 (KTK-5) incline underground mine – and taking up one new mine – Kakatiya Khani open cast-II phase-I – is expected to add to the company’s production capacity by about 4 million tonnes per annum (MTPA), when they become operational.
The SCCL officials said the production capacity of Bellampally open cast-II mine is 0.4 MTPA now and with its expansion in 192 hectares near Abbapur village of Tandur mandal in Kumram Bheem district and in neighbouring Mancherial district, it would increase its production by 0.6 MTPA taking the total to 1 MTPA.
Similarly, KTK-5 would be expanded in about 200 hectares near Bhupalapally in Jayashankar-Bhupalapally district to increase its production by 0.84 MTPA, from the existing 0.6 MTPA to 1.44 MTPA.
The new mine planned at Baswarajupalli in Ghanpur mandal of Jayashankar-Bhupalapally district in an extent of over 1,555 ha would have a coal production capacity of 2.5 MTPA (normative) and 3.00 MTPA (peak).
Change of plan
Initially, the mine was planned to be an underground mine but on the request of the Singareni management the expert appraisal committee had allowed its conversion from underground to open-cast in August last year.
While issuing terms of reference as part of the process for environmental clearance for the three mines recently, the expert appraisal committee of the MoEF has exempted the project proponent, Singareni Collieries, from conducting the public hearing in case of the Bellampally Open Cast-II mine.
