WCL's Junad open cast mine gets green nod to raise coal output

State-owned Western Coalfield Ltd (WCL) has got the environment clearance for raising production capacity of its Junad Deep Open Cast mine in Maharashtra to 1.5 million tonne per annum (MTPA) from existing 0.60 MTPA.
The expansion of the mine, located in Yavatmal district, would entail an investment of Rs 58 crore and would ensure regular coal supplies to thermal power plant of Mahagenco.
WCL is the one of the eight subsidiaries of Coal India.
"The Ministry of Environment and Forest hereby accords environment clearance (EC) to Junad Deep open cast (OC) mine project for capacity enhancement from 0.60 MTPA to 1.5 MTPA," according to the EC letter granted to the Western Coalfields.

The Ministry has also given green nod for increasing the land area of the mine from 174.28 hectare to 449.63 hectare subject to certain conditions, the letter said.
WCL has been asked to put in place an afforestation plan covering an area of 210 hectare at the end of mining with a density of tree plantation of 2,500 trees per hectare.

The company has been asked to maintain the final mine void depth not more than 40 meters. The void area should be converted into water body and the rest of the area should be back filled upon the ground level.

That apart, WCL has been asked to bring the land after mining back to agriculture. The CSR cost should be Rs 5 per tonne of coal produced, which should be adjusted as per the annual inflation.
Among other conditions, the Ministry said WCL should practice controlled blasting with use of delay detonators and only during day time. The mitigative measures for control of ground vibrations and to arrest the fly rocks and boulders should be implemented.
"No groundwater should be used for mining operations and mining should be phased out in sustainable manner," it said.
The company has informed the government that total land requirement of the project is 449.53 hectare. Out of which, 174.28 hectare has already been acquired in existing Junad open cast mine and the balance will have to be acquired.

The proposed mine area has a geological reserve of 14.58 million tonnes. The mineable reserve is 6.13 million tonnes, while the extractable reserve is 6.13 million tonnes. The Junad OC mine has a life of 11 years, it added.