MANISH GUPTA
Ranchi, Sept 8: Five coal blocks in Jharkhand allotted to major players including power generators NTPC Ltd and Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) are likely to commence production by the end of this fiscal, as per the state mining department.
“The five coal blocks with NTPC, DVC, Punjab electricity board, JSW Steel and Araanya Steel are in the final stages of clearances. They will begin mining operations by the end of this financial year,” Jharkhand Mines Director Amit Kumar told lagatar24.com.
The NTPC has got many of the clearances for its Kerendari coal block in Hazaribagh. It is waiting for some final clearances. Same is the case with the DVC that owns the Tubed coal block in Latehar. JSW Steel’s lease for Moitra block in Hazaribag is also near close.
The Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL), formerly Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB), was allotted Pachwara central coal block in Pakur. And, Araanya Steel Industries are working on the Lohari coal block in Daltonganj. Both are in the final stages.
To commence coal mining, the companies have to acquire the required land on their own, and get clearances from various departments like mining, forest and pollution from both the state and the central governments. Of these, land acquisition takes much effort.
Sources inform that the government-run DVC that operates in the Damodar river area of Jharkhand and West Bengal has got all the departmental clearances but is facing some hurdles in land acquisition. It was supposed to start operations by August 15.
However, the DVC is likely to clear the process of land acquisition soon as it is using the Coal Bearing Areas (Acquisition and Development) Act, 1957, to acquire land. Once it starts the mining operations, production of coal can begin within a month.
The Act provides for the acquisition of coal-bearing lands and their “vesting in government company”, free from any encumbrance. The land is acquired for government companies only for coal mining and activities related to mining purposes, as per the Act.
It may be noted that the National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC), which was also facing difficulty in acquiring land, has decided to use the CBA Act. They now hope to acquire land for mining in Hazaribag this year and begin production next year.
