The embargo on expansion in coal fields lying in critically polluted areas and lack of transport linkages for faster distribution of coal could hamper the growth of coal and thereby generation of power, said N.C. Jha, chairman and managing director, Coal India Limited.
Addressing a seminar on ‘Core Sector Development in South India' organised by the Madras Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI), he said the Ministry of Environment and Forests has directed that there should not be any new projects and the status quo should continue in 43 critically polluted areas in the country last year of which nine were major coal fields.
In March 2011, the MoEF has lifted the embargo in 20 areas but only one was a coal field and the embargo continued for the remaining eight fields which would be reviewed this September. In Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh, the MoEF has not granted permission to lay last line of rail tracks to link the coal fields as they passed through reserve forests and grass lands.
The growth in coal production could be at stake which was linked to energy security and economic growth, he said. The rail linkage was another major problem in distribution of coal. When there was a huge demand for coal in the country, Coal India had 70.5 million tonnes pitted stock last year. While it grew by six per cent, the Indian Railways was growing at one to three per cent, he said.
Likewise, the transport linkages from the ports to the rest of the country also have to be improved. “There is a huge problem of logistics. We are holding marathon discussions with the railways,” Mr. Jha said.
Rajeev Ranjan, principal secretary, Industries Department, said that the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB) was not even in a position to have a week's stock of coal. M. Ravindranath, general manager – technical services, ESSAR Steel Limited, released a book on ‘Belt Conveyor Technology.'
MCCI presient T.T. Srinivasaraghavan and vice-president T. Shivaraman spoke.
