CIL reluctance poses challenge for fly ash disposal in Chhattisgarh

State-run Coal India Limited (CIL) is showing reluctance to declare its non-operational coal-mines as abandoned, preventing the authorities from using the space for disposing fly ash in Chhattisgarh.

Over a dozen coal mines in Korba and Raigarh districts, both emerging as power hubs, have been exhausted. Most of the mines were operated by CIL’s subsidiary South Eastern Coalfields Limited. The CIL spokesperson did not respond to the query sent for its version on the issue.

A coal block in Gare Palma of Raigarh district was allotted to CIL in the re-auction. The block was earlier allotted to Jindal Steel and Power Limited (JSPL). A portion of the mine was abandoned and JSPL was using it to dispose of the fly ash coming out from its Tamnaar-based 2400-Mw power plant.

Since the block is now in possession of CIL, which has neither declared the exhausted mine as abandoned nor allowed JSPL to dump the fly ash, the latter has found itself in a bind over how to dispose of the waste. In fact, it is not just the private company, state authorities have also faced challenges in dealing with the issue.

“We are continuously mounting pressure on the CIL to declare the exhausted coal mines as abandoned and surrender them,” Member Secretary of Chhattisgarh Environment Conservation Board Devendra Singh told Business Standard. The mines had been allotted to the company on lease by the state government and, according to the procedure, it had to surrender them once the operation was completed.

According to the norms, CIL has to furnish the mine closure plan and complete the other formalities that require huge expenditure. This could be the possible reason why CIL has avoided completing the process.

“After constant follow-up, CIL recently surrendered the Manikpur open-cast coal mine in Korba that would solve the issue of fly ash disposal for atleast two years,” Singh said. In Korba district alone, 10 thermal power plants with capacity of over 6000-Mw had been installed.

Singh said that CIL had surrendered 10 underground coal mines that would be of no use for fly-ash disposal. The state authorities are serious about finding a concrete solution for fly ash disposal, he added.

The state generates over 20 million tonnes of ash but utilises hardly 6-8 million tonnes per year.