Australian diplomat says Adani's Carmichael coal project will create jobs

"Adani project is a key project in Australia," Andrew Ford told Business Standard

Australia's consul-general in Kolkata Andrew Ford said that the Adani's Carmichael coalmine project would bring important activities in the region of Queensland.

"Adani project is a key project in Australia," Ford told Business Standard. The project would bring important activities in Queensland (where the coal block is located) and expedite development in the region, the Australian said on the sidelines of the stakeholder consultation meet on issues related to coal sector organised by Ministry of Coal in collaboration with FICCI here Wednesday.

Ford said Adani group had 800 people working across operations and projects in Queensland. “It is estimated that in the initial ramp up and construction phase, the Carmichael project will create around 1500 direct jobs and over 7000 supporting jobs,” he said, adding that further jobs would be created as the mine’s capacity grows.

Gautam Adani-led Adani Group purchased the greenfield Carmichael coal mine in the Galilee Basin of central Queensland. In its first stage, the mine would produce 10 million tonnes of coal per annum. The coal will be transported to Abbot Point Port, about 200 km through rail line.

At peak capacity, it would produce 60 million tonnes of coal a year, much of it "low quality, high ash”. The company had said it expected to produce 2.3 billion tonnes of coal from Carmichael mine over 60 years. There has been a massive protest against the coal mine in Queensland state, the largest coal mine in Australia.

“Now there is no protest against the Adani project in Australia,” Ford said.