The coal ministry on Thursday issued orders to revoke mining licences of five blocks of NTPC, Damodar Valley Corp and Jharkhand State Electricity Board with combined reserves of 1,000 million tonnes. The power ministry would take up the issue with coal ministry and higher authorities, a senior official said. Three of the five blocks - Chatti Bariatu , Chatti Bariatu (South) and Kerandari - belong to NTPC.
"We would again persuade the coal ministry to not de-allocate NTPC blocks. If necessary we would move to higher authorities ," the power ministry official said. The power ministry has already written to the coal ministry to review the decision. A senior NTPC official denied any laxity on company's part. "If compared with the contemporary coal blocks, NTPC is far ahead from others. Even blocks adjoining to these coal blocks in North Karanpura coalfield are much behind and still they are not in the de-allocation list," the official said.
Chatti Bariatu and Kerandari coal blocks were allocated to NTPC in 2006, while Chatti Bariatu (South) coal block was given to public sector firm in 2007. The three blocks hold 836 million tonnes of reserves. The other two blocks are Damodar Valley Corp's Saharpur Jamarpani with 600 million tonne reserves and Jharkhand State Electricity Board's Banhardih with 400 million tonnes of coal. While Saharpur Jamarpani was allocated in 2007, Banhardih was given in 2006. The coal ministry had last month announced decision to revoke licences of 15 coal and lignite blocks, 12 of which belonged to state-run companies .
On June 1, letters were issued to three companies Bhaidyanath Ayurved Bhavan, Andhra Pradesh Power Generation Corp and Bhatia International for cancellation of five blocks. The move is followed by recommendations of a review committee on progress of coal blocks. The panel had originally recommended de-allocation of 31 coal blocks held by 26 firms including Tata Steel , NTPC, Hindalco and Nevyeli Lignite Corporation . The de-allocated blocks would be allotted to Coal India Ltd or its subsidiaries for mining.
No comments:
Post a Comment