Central Coalfields gets green nod for Pichri open cast mine.

Central Coalfields Ltd. (CCL), a Coal India subsidiary, has got environment clearance for its Rs 228 crore Pichri open cast mine to produce up to 1.5 million tonnes per annum coal in Bokaro district in Jharkhand.

Pichri OCP is a new mine envisaged to produce washery grade-IV coal to meet the demand of medium coking coal. 'Based on the recommendations of the Expert Appraisal Committee, the Environment Ministry has given the environment clearance to Pichri open cast mine project of the Central Coalfields Ltd,' a senior Environment Ministry official said.

The life of mine is only three years. And the environment clearance to the project has been given with some conditions, the official added. Among certain conditions specified, the official said that after three years, the employees should be shifted or employed to the new mines.

The company has also been asked to transport coal in mechanically covered trucks, conduct social audit for CSR activities besides specifying limits for maintaining overburden (OB) dump, the official added. According to the proposal, the CCL is targeting to produce up to 1.50 million tonnes per annum coal (MTPA) from Pichri open cast mine at an estimated investment of Rs 228.90 crore.

To meet the growing demand of coal, especially in power and steel sectors, CCL has planned to increase its production capacity from the present level of 55.65 MTPA in 2014-15 to 67 MTPA by 2016-17.

DNA