3 coal blocks in State to operate by deadline

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3 coal blocks in State to operate by deadline

Tuesday, 20 November 2018 | PNS | BHUBANESWAR

While the coal blocks allocated to PSUs are set to be operational ahead of the scheduled period, issuance of various clearances by statutory authorities is creating some bottlenecks, official sources admit.

The Central Monitoring Committee on Coal recently reviewed progress of operationalisation of coal blocks allocated to both the Central and State PSUs, which found out that at least three coal blocks of Odisha will be operationalised before the scheduled time period.

However, it was suggested that the State Government will have to take proactive steps in this regard, while providing no objection certificates (NOC) and consent to establish (CTE)  certificates by various authorities, so that things will move on a fast lane, an official said.

NLC India, which has been allocated Talabira II and III coal blocks, has informed that the mine is running ahead of schedule and it will be operational on January 1, 2019.

Talabira II and III coal blocks in Jharsuguda district having 553.98 million tons of coal reserve were allotted in 2016.

NLC India is requesting authorities in the State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) of Odisha to provide CTE certificate.The district administration of Jharsuguda is to provide NOC for use of explosives in coal mines.

Similarly, Odisha Coal and Power Limited (OCPL) has been allocated Manoharpur and Dip Side Manoharpur coal blocks way back in 2015. This mine has got 978.47 million ton of estimated reserve of coal. OCPL is moving ahead with mine opening permission since August, 2018 and it is ready to start coal production by April, 2019.

However, coal evacuation is a major problem for the OCPL as Merry Go Round (MGR) is not ready.  MGR railway infrastructure is delayed due to land acquisition in Mahanadi Coal Limited (MCL) command area.

Due to such a delay in MGR rail infrastructure, construction evacuation would not be possible even as authorities are ready to produce coal from the mines.

This being a serious issue, the Union Ministry of Coal has been approached to ask Coal India to buy coal produced by them.

Nalco which has been allotted Utkal D Coal Block having estimated reserve of 175 million tone is ready to make the mine operational by January 2, 2020.

Authorities in Nalco have made efforts to get forest clearance for it.

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