Coal news and updates

CCL gets Green nod on Piparwar opencast project expansion

May 28: The Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) granted environment clearance for capacity expansion of the Piparwar opencast project under Central Coalfields Limited (CCL) from a normative capacity of 10 million tons per annum (mtpa) to 12.50 mtpa and from a peak capacity of 11.5 mtpa to 14.375 mtpa, according to an official document.

Total forest area involved in mining is 186.50 hectare for which Stage-1 forest clearance has been obtained.

For the time being, transportation of coal to the pithead will be through belt conveyer and from surface to siding, the coal will be transported by trucks. From the siding, coal will be loaded through mechanised loading.

However, a letter by the MoEF says, “Two railway sidings shall be completed by June, 2014, at an estimated cost of Rs 15 lakh… No coal transportation by road shall be permitted thereafter.”

The capital cost of the project is Rs 1,093.65 crore. The total geological reserves of the project are 244 mt and the mineable reserves are 48.80 mt.