MoS to monitor setting up of Coal India washeries: Jaiswal

Concerned over delays in setting up of washeries by state-run Coal India, Minister of State for Coal Pratik Prakashbapu Patil will monitor that such plants, which help in realising a better price for the dry fuel, are put in place expeditiously.

"The Minister of State will monitor the setting up of washeries by Coal India," Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal said here.

Government earlier had said that not a single washery of Coal India (CIL) could be commissioned during the 11th Five- Year Plan period (2007-12) mainly due to delays in securing environmental clearances and non-availability of suitable land.

The Coal Ministry had earlier stated that CIL will set up 20 new washeries with a combined capacity of 111 million tonnes to help realise a better price for its produce.

Of the proposed 20 washeries, involving an investment of Rs 2,500 crore, 13 are non-coking coal while seven others are coking coal.

Of these washeries, 18 were to be under build-operate-maintain model and two under turn-key scheme.

"Many new washeries have been planned and the process of setting up of these washeries had been started by Coal India Ltd. However, none could be commissioned," Minister of State for Coal had said in a written reply to Rajya Sabha in March.

The Standing Committee on Coal and Steel had earlier pulled up Coal India for delays in setting up of washeries and had desired that coal PSU prepare an action plan to expedite the work of commissioning of washeries.

The committee had also observed that the washeries were not set up despite the Ministry of Environment and Forests restricting the use of coal containing more 34% ash content in power stations located 1,000 km away from pit heads.