Express News Service
RAIPUR: The Rajasthan government urged Chhattisgarh to end the stalemate on the demanded supply of coal amid protest against the coal mining in north Chhattisgarh’s Ambikapur and the verbal duel between the ruling BJP and opposition Congress over the mining operations and felling of trees.
Parsa East-Kente Basan, Parsa, and Kete Extension coal blocks in north Chhattisgarh’s Hasdeo Arand region have been awarded to Rajasthan Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Ltd (RRVUNL).
With the ongoing deadlock persisting over the steady coal supply between the two BJP-ruled states, the RRVUNL CMD R K Sharma on Thursday met senior officials of the Chhattisgarh government apprising about the grave issue faced by Rajasthan owing to the shortage of coal supply to its various thermal power plants.
Rajasthan CM Bhajan Lal Sharma has also written and spoken to his counterpart Vishnu Deo Sai to alleviate the coal crisis. Earlier former CM Ashok Gehlot too had urged Chhattisgarh to proceed on fast-track coal mining clearances but couldn’t mitigate the crisis.
“This is my seventh visit to Chhattisgarh during the past three years. Rajasthan state has been under a serious coal crisis during the past couple of years where 4340 of the total 7580 MW coal-fired plants are linked to the mines based in Chhattisgarh. We have already secured all clearances from the Centre or the state government. Even got permission from the Supreme Court in some pending cases. Rajasthan, which has paid Rs 7000 crore as revenue to Chhattisgarh, is bound to face far-reaching consequences if the essential supply of coal is not met on priority,” asserted Sharma.
Chhattisgarh earlier under the Congress regime permitted RRVUNL to agree on second-phase coal mining at the Parsa coal block on 1136 hectares but later asked the Ministry of Environment to reconsider forest clearance citing the resistance by the locals. The first phase which is nearing completion has been going on since 2013.
To a query on the cutting exercise that led to strong protests by local tribes in the Hasdeo region, Sharma countered by asking how can coal be excavated without tree felling to clear land for mining.
“No one knows how many trees might have been cut when several highways are built but that never became an issue. But ironically at Hasdeo, such a predicament has been created. RRVUNL has on its own planted over 4 lakh trees in the region and around 39 lakh trees in collaboration with the state forest department. We understand and remain committed to forestation and ecological balance as the need of the country,” he added.
Rajasthan state is managing to get supply from Coal India Ltd but is not sure about the quality of coal and the required quantity given.
* Chhattisgarh-based three blocks -Parsa East Kanta Basan (PEKB), Parsa, and Kente Extension coal blocks were allotted to Rajasthan in 2012* Forest clearance given by the Centre* The region lies in biodiversity-rich forested terrain in north Chhattisgarh’s Ambikapur* Rajasthan CM Sharma has written to CM Sai seeking help to alleviate coal and power shortages.* RRVUNL after coal block allocations commissioned a 4340 MW plant investing Rs 40000 crore.* Protests by local tribes led to the verbal duel between BJP and Congress over mining, forest clearance Follow channel on WhatsApp
RAIPUR: The Rajasthan government urged Chhattisgarh to end the stalemate on the demanded supply of coal amid protest against the coal mining in north Chhattisgarh’s Ambikapur and the verbal duel between the ruling BJP and opposition Congress over the mining operations and felling of trees.
Parsa East-Kente Basan, Parsa, and Kete Extension coal blocks in north Chhattisgarh’s Hasdeo Arand region have been awarded to Rajasthan Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Ltd (RRVUNL).
With the ongoing deadlock persisting over the steady coal supply between the two BJP-ruled states, the RRVUNL CMD R K Sharma on Thursday met senior officials of the Chhattisgarh government apprising about the grave issue faced by Rajasthan owing to the shortage of coal supply to its various thermal power plants.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });
Rajasthan CM Bhajan Lal Sharma has also written and spoken to his counterpart Vishnu Deo Sai to alleviate the coal crisis. Earlier former CM Ashok Gehlot too had urged Chhattisgarh to proceed on fast-track coal mining clearances but couldn’t mitigate the crisis.
“This is my seventh visit to Chhattisgarh during the past three years. Rajasthan state has been under a serious coal crisis during the past couple of years where 4340 of the total 7580 MW coal-fired plants are linked to the mines based in Chhattisgarh. We have already secured all clearances from the Centre or the state government. Even got permission from the Supreme Court in some pending cases. Rajasthan, which has paid Rs 7000 crore as revenue to Chhattisgarh, is bound to face far-reaching consequences if the essential supply of coal is not met on priority,” asserted Sharma.
Chhattisgarh earlier under the Congress regime permitted RRVUNL to agree on second-phase coal mining at the Parsa coal block on 1136 hectares but later asked the Ministry of Environment to reconsider forest clearance citing the resistance by the locals. The first phase which is nearing completion has been going on since 2013.
To a query on the cutting exercise that led to strong protests by local tribes in the Hasdeo region, Sharma countered by asking how can coal be excavated without tree felling to clear land for mining.
“No one knows how many trees might have been cut when several highways are built but that never became an issue. But ironically at Hasdeo, such a predicament has been created. RRVUNL has on its own planted over 4 lakh trees in the region and around 39 lakh trees in collaboration with the state forest department. We understand and remain committed to forestation and ecological balance as the need of the country,” he added.
Rajasthan state is managing to get supply from Coal India Ltd but is not sure about the quality of coal and the required quantity given.
* Chhattisgarh-based three blocks -Parsa East Kanta Basan (PEKB), Parsa, and Kente Extension coal blocks were allotted to Rajasthan in 2012
* Forest clearance given by the Centre
* The region lies in biodiversity-rich forested terrain in north Chhattisgarh’s Ambikapur
* Rajasthan CM Sharma has written to CM Sai seeking help to alleviate coal and power shortages.
* RRVUNL after coal block allocations commissioned a 4340 MW plant investing Rs 40000 crore.
* Protests by local tribes led to the verbal duel between BJP and Congress over mining, forest clearance Follow channel on WhatsApp
