MoEF lifts 'no-go' status from coal blocks linked to UMPP, NTPC & OPGC

In a major boost to Orissa's power sector, the Union ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) today cleared six coal blocks linked to the power projects of Orissa Power Generation Corporation (OPGC), National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) and the 4000 MW Ultra Mega Power Project (UMPP) proposed in the state.

These projects were in a limbo as the coal blocks allotted to them were categorized as 'no-go' areas. While clearing the coal blocks of all three projects, the MoEF has decided to relook at the three projects together in order to get a broader picture of the biodiversity impacts.

Referring to satellite imagery on the forest area to be diverted as coal-blocks, Union minister for environment & forests Jairam Ramesh said, 40 per cent of the forest area allotted to UMPP could be saved.

He said, the number of trees to be felled in the case of NTPC has reduced from around 67, 500 to 37,500 (a 44 per cent reduction) and in case of OPGC approximately 75,000 trees get saved. He said, the efforts to save the number of trees could materialise on account of the MoEF's intervention and the cooperation received from the Union power ministry.

Ramesh further said all the three power projects being put up with the coal mined in these six blocks will use supercritical technology and this will result in a saving of around 5-8 per cent in terms of carbon dioxide emissions from each of the generating units as compared to a comparable sub-critical 500 MW unit.

In view of the above two factors, all six blocks will now be considered by the Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) as 'go' areas, Ramesh stated.

The MoEF has imposed an additional condition which requires the project proponents to bear the cost of regeneration of an area of open, degraded forest land equivalent to the amount of medium density forest land being diverted.

This condition is over and above the usual conditions governing forest clearance like payment of Net Present Value (NPV), taking up compensatory afforestation and wildlife management plan.

OPGC managing director Venkatachalam Kuppusami thanked the Union forest and environment minister and the Orissa government for today’s development. “With this we are hopeful to further complete necessary milestones for our expansion project”, he said.