High level panel recommends green nod to WBMDTC mining project

A high-level panel has recommended environment clearance, with some riders, for the coal mining project of West Bengal Mineral Development and Trading Corp Ltd.
The Expert Appraisal Committee, "after detailed deliberations, recommended for granting EC (Environment Clearance) with...Specific conditions", said an official document.
The conditions include regular monitoring of methane and other air quality parameters alongwith the subsidence, avoiding the dumping of coal and building materials on forest land, continuous monitoring of subsidence and taking mitigation measures, it said.
The proposal for green nod for 2 MTPA Ichhapur Underground coal mine Project of WBMDTC had also earlier come up for consideration in the EAC meeting held in February.

The committee then had sought additional information with regard to approval of Central Ground Water Board for using underground water and submission of approved mine plan and mine closure plan among others.
The committee was of the view that "all land losers shall be given employment; the CSR cost should be Rs 5 per tonnes of Coal produced which should be adjusted as per the annual inflation; during the stage up to coal production, the capital CSR Budget shall be 0.4 per cent of capital cost of the project," it said.
The coal mine in Raniganj coalfields of West Bengal was allocated to the company in August, 2006 for commercial use. The mine has geological reserves of 335 million tonnes.