Coal news and updates

The CBI investigating the coal blocks allotment during the period 2004-2009, has sought documents pertaining to the coal block allotted to the Goa government in Raigarh district of Chhattisgarh in 2009.

 

The Goa industrial development corporation (GIDC), the nodal agency appointed by the state government to comply with formalities for activating the block as well as getting various clearances, will submit the required documents to CBI.

 

Ganesh Gaonkar, chairman of GIDC, confirmed that they have been approached by the CBI for documents pertaining to the allotment of the coal block.

 

The CBI was roped into the investigation after the comptroller and auditor general of India's (CAG) office accused the government of India of allocating coal blocks in an inefficient manner in 2012. At 1.86 lakh crore, the coal mining scam is billed as one of the biggest scams in India.

 

The GIDC official said they have nothing to hide. The CBI probe in allotment of the coal block to Goa is a part of its investigation of all coal blocks allotted during the period 2004-2009.

 

GIDC is yet to commence operations at the coal block as it is still in the process of getting various permissions. In fact, it was only during last two years, that work for commencing the operations at the coal block were activated.

 

The GIDC has got mandatory clearances such as environmental as well as forest clearance from the ministry of environment and forests (MOEF) but is yet to obtain a coal mining lease from Chhattisgarh government.

 

The GIDC official said the process for getting a lease for coal mining was started but, currently it has been halted due to the election code of conduct. "We will have to wait until the election code of conduct is lifted," he said. Also another task left is the completion of the land acquisition. The total area of land earmarked for coal mining is 639 hectares, whereas projected area is 714.35 hectares.

 

Goa government is expected to get 1,800 mega watts of power through this coal block. Power project development agency K S K Energy Venture Pvt Ltd, has been appointed for power generation. If all goes well, GIDC will get the project galvanized by the end of this year.

 

 

Source: ToI