Avoid projects in coal-bearing areas: Ministry

The Union coal ministry has communicated with all coal-bearing states in the country to desist from taking up big projects in the respective coal-bearing areas. The ministry has urged the states to consult Coal India Limited before planning big projects in such ‘notified’ areas.

“There are adequate coal reserves in the country, however, in view of the rising demand for thermal energy, we have to ensure this resource is not wasted, since coal production growth rate has dipped to two per cent from seven per cent due to hurdles in mining clearances,” Union Coal Minister Sri Prakash Jaiswal said today.

The ministry’s official communiqué was recently sent to the chief ministers of all coal-bearing states viz West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Orissa, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra.

He said the coal-bearing areas were notified, however, some state governments have proposed big infrastructure projects on such land, which could lead to confrontation later, like West Bengal had proposed an airport project, the permission for which was denied by us,” Jaiswal said, adding, “If a big project comes up on such an area, it would lock the area for mining activity for at least the next 50 years, which could not be allowed”.