The 4,000 MW ultra mega power project in Orissa which has been delayed over environment clearances is likely to be cleared soon by the Ministry of Environment and Forests. "In the next 2-3 days we would be able to finalise the modalities (of the Orissa UMPP)...we are trying to sort it out soon," Power Secretary P Uma Shankar said. The deadline for submitting the initials bids for the Bedabahal project in Orissa is January 30, 2011. If the necessary environment and forest clearance is granted, the bids would be closed in time.
"We are hopeful that it (Orissa UMPP) would come on time," Shankar said.
The project was allocated three coal blocks -- Meenakshi, Meenakshi B and Dipside of Meenakshi. Environment Ministry is likely to allow the power producer to extract coal from these mines with some amendment though.
"A bit of modification of the Meenakshi B and some part of Dipside of Meenakshi may be done," he said adding the Environment Ministry is of the view that as much as forest area should be saved. The invitation of preliminary bids for these projects have been delayed four times in the past due to environment hurdles.
Ministry of Environment and Forests had put the three coal blocks allotted to the project in the "no-go" area, which means mining cannot take place in these areas as it may cause damage to the environment.
this had resulted in delaying the bidding process of the project as the developers were shying away from investing in the projects which were not given all the requisite clearances.
The government has so far allotted four such projects of which three -- Sasan (Madhya Pradesh), Krishnapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) and Tilaiya (Jharkhand) -- have been bagged by Reliance Power and the one at Mundra in Gujarat by Tata Power. Power Ministry plans to add 1,00,000 MW of electricity in the XIIth Plan Period (2012-17), a major chunk of this target coming from these projects.
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