OIPL disburses Rs 494 cr compensation for Bhedabahal UMPP

OIPL is the special purpose vehicle formed for implementing the UMPP

The Odisha Integrated Power Ltd (OIPL), a fully owned subsidiary of Power Finance Corporation (PFC), has disbursed compensation worth Rs 494 crore towards acquisition of private land for the 4,000 Mw ultra mega power plant (UMPP) coming up at Bhedabahal near Sundargarh.

OIPL is the special purpose vehicle (SPV) formed for implementing the UMPP. Total compensation for acquiring 2,733 acres private land has been worked out at Rs 620 crore, said an official source.

In addition to the compensation amount, the state's land acquisition agency Odisha Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (Idco), has raised an additional demand of Rs 145 crore towards revised estimated cost and its administrative charges.

The UMPP needs 3,246 acres land in all that includes 2,733 acres private land, 444 acres government land and the rest 69 acres revenue forest land.

Government non-forest land of 444 acres is being alienated as 33 cases. Lease deed was executed by Idco for three cases and the deed for two cases is under process between Idco and the Sundargarh collector.

The rest 28 cases were sanctioned permissive possession by the district administration. However, due to revision of license fee, 18 sanctioned cases are being revised.

Idco has raised tentative demand of Rs 16.28 crore towards lease of government land for 33 cases.

The proposal for diversion of 69 acres of revenue forest land for non-forest use has been forwarded by the regional chief conservator of forests, Rourkela to the additional principal chief conservator of forests (PCCF), Bhubaneswar. The Odisha Space Applications Centre (ORSAC) has submitted the map of the project site showing the habitat, corridor and movement of elephants.

Meenakshi, Meenakshi-B and dip side of Meenakshi coal blocks have been allocated for the 4,000 Mw UMPP. The annual requirement of fuel for the Bhedabahal UMPP has been estimated at 19-20 million tonne of coal.

The coal from the allocated blocks will move from pit head to coal loading point at Dhuka chowk through a six-km belt conveyor system. After loading, the coal would be transported through MGR (merry go round) system of about 64 km loop length (aerial distance of 31 km). The total land requirement of developing the coal mines is 1,308 hectares (ha)- 492 ha for Meenakshi, 486 ha for Meenakshi-B and 330 ha for dip side of Meenakshi coal blocks.

The coal block area involves 102 ha of reserve/ protected forest, 332 ha revenue forest, 236 ha of government land and 638 ha of private land.

Central Mine Planning & Design Institute (CMPDIL), a fully owned subsidiary of Coal India Ltd (CIL), has already carried out regional exploration in Meenakshi-B and dip side of Meenakshi coal block area.