South Eastern Coalfields Ltd (SECL), has stepped-up the modalities required to commence the Ambika opencast coal project, located in its Korba mining area. The project is likely to provide 1.35 MnT coal per annum upon commissioning.
The SECL management has completed the survey work for Ambika mine and now the process of determining compensation along with land acquisition is underway.
Expediting the process to open the project, SECL had sought approval from the Ministry of Environment and Forest. Following which, the ministry had instructed the Forest and Environment office in Raipur to take requisite action.
The management intends to open the mine soon by completing land acquisition and other processes.
Public hearing to be conducted on 11 Oct’19: Upon instruction from the headquarters, the Regional Environmental Protection Board has envisaged an environmental public hearing on 11 Oct’19. The hearing would also seek objection, suggestion from the villagers in context with the mine opening.
Ambika coal project would be the third opencast project under SECL’s Korba mining area. Prior to this, coal mining was being carried out in Manikpur mine, while the company had also commissioned the Saraipali coal project in the previous fiscal.
SECL is currently operating 70 coal mines grouped into three coalfields, namely, Central India Coalfields (CIC), Korba Coalfields and Mand-Raigarh Coalfields and administratively divided into 13 operating areas.
During FY19, the company had granted approval to the Jharia West, Mahamaya and Rampur Batura coal projects.
Despite emerging as the first coal company to attain the 150 MnT coal production mark in FY19, SECL had cited non-commencement of new projects as constraints that impeded coal production. Notably, projects including Saraipali OCP, Rampur Batura OCP, Jagannathpur OCP, Ambika OCP & Bijari OCP had faced delays in obtaining clearance at various levels, for which targets were already assigned in FY19.
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