Coal news and updates

Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd (MCL), the largest coal producing subsidiary of Coal India Ltd (CIL) would complete work on a separate, dedicated coal transportation coal corridor in the coal-rich Talcher region by March 2017.

 

The decision was taken at a recent meeting of the Odisha State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB) with senior MCL executives.

 

The alignment of the coal corridor would be such that it passes through the coal mining blocks but avoids the populated areas of the coal bearing region. MCL has already commenced work on the corridor. In the existing coal transportation road of 35 km length from Hingula to Pawitra Mohan Chowk in Talcher area, MCl would deploy road sweepers and water sprinkling system on the routes passing through the populated areas.

 

Both Talcher and Ib valley coalfields are under MCL’s jurisdiction and have been classified as critically polluted areas of Odisha. Since MCL operates numerous coal mines in this belt, such large scale mining has the potential to degrade the environment unless adequate measures are taken to curb pollution.

 

Besides taking action for regulatory compliance of the stipulations of consent order, MCL being one of the major stakeholder of these two areas needs to take some additional steps for improvement of overall environmental scenario of the areas.

 

On groundwater and its recharge potential, it was decided that MCL should take expeditious action to start survey work by CSIR-National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI), Hyderabad during post monsoon period and ensure that the report preparation by NGRI is completed by July-2017. Groundwater monitoring data (conducted by MCL) through existing bore wells or piezometers is to be shared with NGRI for preparation of report. Further, it was decided that MCL would submit the piezometer data to the pollution board in every six months.

 

Besides this, MCL would install on-line monitoring system with data transfer facility in Ib river at two locations (one is at water intake point and another at up-stream point of the water intake point). The exact locations with co-ordinates will be finalised by MCL in consultation with B.N. Bhol, SES (l) Central laboratory, OSPCB.