SCCL plans of increasing coal production get a shot in the arm

MoEF expert panel issues ToR as part of EC process to Naini coal block in Odisha

November 15, 2019 11:05 pm | Updated 11:05 pm IST - HYDERABAD

In a major boost to its plans towards achieving 85 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) coal production by the end of 2022-23 from 64.4 MTPA in 2018-19, an expert committee of Ministry of Environment and Forests has issued terms of reference to the Singareni Collieries Company Ltd, as part of the process of pursuing environmental clearance to Naini coal block in Odisha.

The coal company has set itself an ambitious target of increasing the fossil-fuel production by over 20 million tonnes in the five-year period till the end of 2022-23 by taking up new mines, going for expansion and increasing the production in the existing ones. It also has plans to increase its power generation capacity to 2,500 MW from the existing 1,200 MW by that time.

“We are well aware that it is a long order considering the increase of only 14 million tonnes during the last 10 years – from 50.43 MTPA in 2009-10 to 64.4 MTPA in 2018-19. However, our hopes stem from the fact that the production has improved by about 10 million tonnes during the last five years – from 52.54 MTPA in 2014-15 to 64.4 MTPA in 2018-19,” a senior SCCL official told The Hindu . The company first approached the expert committee for issuance of terms of reference in August this year, but the proposal was deferred based on a National Green Tribunal (NGT) order stating that the coal block (Naini) area allotted to Singareni falls in the Angul-Talcher critically-polluted area. However, the committee considered the proposal during its meeting held in the fourth week of October following submission of a letter from Odisha State Pollution Control Board by the SCCL stating the proposed Naini coal block area was located at a distance of 26.5 km from the boundary of critically polluted area of Angul-Talcher. “The issuance of ToR helps us workout the reports on environmental impact and management, relief and rehabilitation of affected people and other compliances as part of seeking environmental clearance,” the SCCL official said. The coal block covering an area of 912.799 hectares land in Chhendipada Tehsil in Angul district, including 783.275 hectares of forest land, has an estimated coal reserves of 340 million tonnes.

The SCCL has plans to take up coal mining in the area with 10 MTPA production and also set up a coal washery with 9 MTPA capacity by February 2021. It needs diversion of the forest land for non-forestry activity and get other necessary clearances and permissions by the end of March next year to keep up with the schedule.

The company has already launched its welfare activities in the affected villages by providing water tanker and arranging bore-wells.

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