Govt may allot some coal blocks in 'no-go' areas for UMPP

The government today said that some of the coal blocks lying in the "no-go" areas, which could not be used for mining,  may be shifted to the go-areas, a move to expedite clearance for ultra mega power projects.

Ministry of Environment and Forests has classified certain coal blocks as no-go areas i.e. The areas, where there is a dense cover of forests and mining cannot be done.

"We are working on them...Some (coal blocks) could be accommodated through boundary adjustment... Some could go from no-go to go areas," Power Secretary P Uma Shankar told reporters here.

"We will keep environment concerns in mind and manage both (capacity addition and environment) for the development of the power sector," Shankar said.

Ministry of Power has further extended the date of submission of initials bids for the Chhattisgarh ultra mega power project, as the coal mines allotted for the project fall under the no-go area and await environment clearance.

Coal block allocated for a similar project in Orissa is also awaiting environment clearance.

Power Ministry plans to add a substantial amount of electricity generation capacity from these projects in the XIIth Five Year Plan Period (2012-17).

Delay in the bidding process of these projects could derail the ministry's mega capacity addition plans.

He added, not only power projects, captive projects for steel...They could also have difficulty.

As many as 18 coal blocks are awaiting environment clearance.

Meanwhile, Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal had earlier said that the companies, which have made significant investments in blocks, which were declared in no-go areas could be given priority.