The South Eastern Coalfields ltd (SECl) has received forest clearance for Gevra Expansion Open Cast mining spread in Forest land area measuring 803.11 hectares in Korba district of Chhattisgarh under ‘Stage-II Forest Clearance’.
The clearances had been accorded by Union Ministry of Forest, Environment and Climate Change, officials stated. The SECl had also received forest clearance for Chirmiri open cast mine in Koriya district and Bijari Open cast mine in Raigarh district.
Notably, SECl has also prepared a detailed action plan for the development of the green belt around mine lease area for Kusmunda Open Cast Expansion Project in Surguja district of Chhattisgarh.
The company has proposed to develop a Green belt barrier for a width of (75-100 m) around the periphery of the mine in safety zone area, officials stated. Three-tier plantations will be done with native species (neem, semal, palash, amaltas, gulmohar, etc.)
Notably, SECl will also be setting up a Coal Washery unit at Kusmunda mines with a capacity of 25 Million
Tonnes Per Year (MTY) in Korba district of Chhattisgarh, officials stated.
The company is also planning to extract coal from the Ketki Underground Mine in Surguja district of Chhattisgarh without any blasting done in the mining process.
The SECl would get a scientific study done for obtaining permission from Directorate General of Mine Safety (DGMS) for the introduction of Continuous Miner or Similar Equipment with Continuous Cutting Technology in the aforesaid mine and strata monitoring as required by DGMS, officials stated.
On the other hand, notably, SECl would also be utilising fixed water sprinkler for dust suppression system at coal stockyard and coal transportation roads at Baroud Open Cast Mine (OCM) of Baroud Sub-Area of Raigarh district.
The company has won “Indira Priyadarshini Vriksha Mitra Award” Instituted By Ministry Of Environment & Forest and “Jawahar lal
Nehru Memorial Award For Excellence In Pollution Control” in New Delhi.
To enhance and maintain the safety awareness among workers Safety Fortnights and special safety drives are observed in mines of SECl. Awareness and Safety talks in each shift are being practiced on regular basis to develop a safety culture in accordance of “Code of Safe Practices”, officials stated.
The initial training is imparted to all new entrant and refresher training to all employees as per statute. Thrust on training and retraining of Supervisors, Support Personnel, HEMM operators and contractor’s workers was maintained as a strategy to reduce accidents due to roof/side falls in underground mines and accidents in opencast mines and at surface of mines, they stated.
Apart from statutory training being provided to employees of SECl under the Mines Vocational Training Rules, 1966 at the time of intake and refresher training at regular interval at VTCs at Areas, need based training is also imparted at Area level and at Management Development Institute of SECl HQ at Bilaspur.
Executives are also undergoing special training at IICM, Ranchi and other educational institutions/organisations, officials stated. SECl intends to get coal extracted from Kusmunda mine by Surface Miners and get it transported through covered conveyor system after the expansion of the mine is completed in Korba district of Chhattisgarh, officials stated.
The Kusmunda Opencast Project will be in a total Mining lease (Ml) area of 3510.348 hectares after the expansion of the project .
Notably, SECl is also planning to extract coal from the Ketki Underground Mine in Surguja district of Chhattisgarh without any blasting done in the mining process.
The company would get a scientific study done for obtaining permission from Directorate General of Mine Safety (DGMS) for the introduction of Continuous Miner or Similar Equipment with Continuous Cutting Technology in the aforesaid mine and strata monitoring as required by DGMS, officials stated.
On the other hand, notably, SECl would also be utilising fixed water sprinkler for dust suppression system at coal stockyard and coal transportation roads at Baroud Open Cast Mine (OCM) of Baroud Sub-Area of Raigarh district.
