Jairam clears 6 coal blocks in Orissa
With “no-go” mining norms facing a major relaxation, minister of environment Jairam Ramesh has cleared six more coal blocks for three major power plants in Orissa. The decision to this effect was taken on June 27.
The ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) has relented on giving permission for mining in five “no-go” areas and one “go area”.
While three coal blocks, (Meenakshi-A, Meenakshi-B and Meenakshi Dipside)
have been allocated to the 3960MW/4000MW Ultra Mega Power Plant (UMPP), in Orissa, two coal blocks (Manoharpur and Manoharpur Dipside) have been allocated to the 1320 MW power plant of the Orissa Power Generation Corporation (OPGC). The sixth coal block, Dulanga, has been allocated to NTPC ‘s 1600 MW power Plant.
Mr Ramesh, when he became minister in 2010, had defined “no-go” areas for mining as those that had over 30 per cent gross forest cover or those over 10 per cent weighted forest cover insisting that mining be allowed only in the “go” areas.
Explaining why he had relented from his earlier stand, Mr Ramesh explained that the UMPP had already advanced considerably and in response to persistent requests from it, discussions were held first with the ministry of power and to see how the use of good quality forest land could be minimised.
“Based on these discussions, I wrote to the minister of power on February 14, 2011 saying that the ministry of power could consider the UMPP-linked coal blocks as having been approved but that this would mean the ministry of power giving up plans for the NTPC and OPGC power plants,” he explained.
“Subsequently, NTPC and OPGC also came forward and offered substantial changes in their mining plans,” Mr Ramesh said assuring him that the setting up of these planst would help Orissa get 100 per cent power.
“OPGC also made a strong case on the grounds that this would be the first power plant to be set up by the OPGC, in which the state government now has 51 per cent stake, after almost two decades,” Mr Ramesh said.
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