Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramraka conferred with Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Manjhi to get the necessary clearances.
Published Jul 17, 2024 | 8:01 PM ⚊ Updated Jul 17, 2024 | 8:01 PM
Coal mining. Representational Image. (iStock)
The Telangana government appears very keen to commence production of coal from Naini Coal Block in Odisha allotted to Singareni Collieries Company Ltd (SCCL) in about four months.
The SCCL, with a history of 135 years is getting ready to produce coal from a coal block outside Telangana for the first time.
Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka asked the officials to roll up their sleeves and get cracking with preparations for the production of coal from the coal block in Odisha at a review meeting on Tuesday, 17 July.
In his capacity as the minister for energy, Vikramraka paved the way for the production by visiting Odisha and conferring with Chief Minister Mohan Charan Manjhi to get the necessary clearances.
He also visited Naini and elicited cooperation from the villagers who would be displaced. Local MLA Agasthi Behra accompanied the Telangana team led by Bhatti Vikramarka to Naini.
The deputy chief minister also sought the cooperation of displaced villagers along with the local MLA.
He asked the officials to ensure that the SCCL, which has earned a good name for itself over the years, should keep it up by approaching the mining of coal in such a way that it would not harm the interests of the local people.
The Naini coal block has all the required permissions. area of 783.27 hectares of forest land was transferred to Singareni company by the Odisha State Forest Department at the instance of the Odisha Chief Minister.
Vikramarka asked Singareni management to hold consultations with the Odisha Forest department to ensure the ongoing works were completed as soon as possible. He suggested that Naini’s general manager should be given responsibility as the special officer in this regard.
He directed that suitable plans should be formulated for the rehabilitation of the local people and generate livelihood for them as he had discussed with local the MLA, the people of the village and local people’s representatives.
The deputy chief minister also said the officials should coordinate with the Odisha State Roads and Buildings department on widening the road till Chendipada which has the approval of the Odisha chief minister.
The road widening work should be expedited soon, he said.
Vikramarka said steps should also be taken for the execution of work on high-tension electricity lines by consulting with the Odisha Energy department.
Similarly, the Rehabilitation and Periphery Development Advisory Committee (RPDAC) meeting should be held to discuss rehabilitation and compensation issues, he said.
Vikramrka discussed all other aspects of pending proposals for the commencement of coal production from the Naini block.
Though the Naini block was allotted to SCCL in 2015 itself, Vikraarka said, due to the lack of interest by the previous government, production did not commence.
He, however, took interest and went to Odisha to discuss a solution with the chief minister. Now in view of the favourable climate in Odisha, the pending works should be completed as per a time-bound plan, he said.
Singareni Chairman and Managing Director N Balram thanked Vikramarka for showing special interest in Naini block and getting the work going by taking action to remove the hurdles.
He said that as suggested by the deputy chief minister, they would fix a time frame for every issue and complete it. He said the SSCL would do its best to start coal production in October this year.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil)
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