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Goyal seeks Soren help to boost coal production

Union minister of state for power, coal, new & renewable energy, Piyush Goyal on Wednesday asked the coal companies in the state to explore new territories for extraction after chief minister Hemant Soren apprised him of the fact that only1800sqkm of the 4000sqkm acquired for the purpose is being used for mining.

Several issues affecting the development of the state were raised in the meeting, including illegal coal mining, royalty, pollution and displacement. The state struggles to deal with the menaces even as the coal companies do little to improve the situation despite earning profits from the natural resources here

The union minister of state had called upon the chief minister seeking cooperation in boosting coal production in the state.

While listening to the issues raised by Soren, Goyal also asked the CM to extend cooperation to CCL in acquiring land for mining in state and in return directed the CCL to get the Tandwa-Balumath road constructed through open bidding. "The state should send a proposal to Centre seeking National Highway status for the Tandwa-Balumath road and we would expedite the matter," Goyal said.

Soren said the coal companies have not been investing mandatory 2% of the profit on corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities and mines that could be reclaimed for afforestation are left with around 10% reserves in them. Taking strong exception to this, Goyal said the coal companies should employ new technology to extract the remaining 10% coal and if that is not economically viable they must refill it and hand it back for reclamation. He also asked the three coal companies — CCL, ECL and BCCL — to collectively spent Rs75 crore annually on CSR activities and concentrate on construction of schools and toilets.

Goyal, while addressing the media, also said the coal ministry is planning to set up crushers and coal washeries to reduce the pollution level in state.

Soren also drew attention of the union minister to the fact that coal royalty has not been revised for a long period of time. Requesting him to increase the coal royalty to 20%, Soren said the rate was fixed at 21% in 1994 which gradually came down to 14% by 2012. "If the government is planning to set up of coal washeries close to the mines, the state must be given royalty on the value of washed coal," he said.

Source: The Times of India