The Chhattisgarh government may remove the hurdles for clearing Parsa coal block in bio-diversity rich Hasdeo Aryand forest for mining by Rajasthan government after the intervention of Congress president Sonia Gandhi, functionaries in the two Congress-ruled states said.
Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot wrote to Gandhi this week seeking her intervention to speed up state-level mining clearances for coal production from Parsa to power projects in Chhattisgarh, said a senior official of Rajasthan energy department.
The CM told the Congress president that the Chhattisgarh government’s approval for mining there was key to start power plants having the capacity to generate 7,580 MW of power in Rajasthan.
“The delay in mining clearances from Chhattisgarh government could stall 4,340 MW power generation as the mineable reserves of two mines fuelling state power plants since 2013 are expected to exhaust by this month-end,” the CM wrote.
The energy department official quoted above said once the state government gives approval, Rajasthan will have around 2.5 racks of coal every day and the Central government has already given the necessary approvals for mining.
He said three mines have been allotted to Rajasthan and mining is undergoing at one (Parsa East and Kanta Basan) and approvals for the remaining two permits are awaited. “The state has installed thermal capacity of 7580MW, and the current generation is 4389.6MW. On reassessment of coal in mine, it is learnt that the supply can be done till January mid,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}He said three mines have been allotted to Rajasthan and mining is undergoing at one (Parsa East and Kanta Basan) and approvals for the remaining two permits are awaited. “The state has installed thermal capacity of 7580MW, and the current generation is 4389.6MW. On reassessment of coal in mine, it is learnt that the supply can be done till January mid,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}Chhattisgarh agriculture minister and government spokesperson, Ravindra Choubey, said, “The Chhattisgarh government has little objections to the company which the Rajasthan government has hired for mining. Now that Sonia Gandhi is apprised of the issue, state CM will meet her and as per her directions things will be sorted out.”
Commenting on the development, Chhattisgarh-based lawyer, Sudiep Shrivastava, said, “The recent report of Wildlife Institute of India (WII) has strongly opposed issuing any new mining permissions. Besides, the tribals are already demanding an inquiry into fake gram sabha resolution. Now, it’s the duty of the state government to address those aspects first and then take any steps for the project.”
Rajasthan has thermal units in district Suratgarh (Ganganagar) with 2160 MW capacity, Kota (1240MW), Chhabra (1320MW), Kalisindh (1200MW), Giral 250MW (Barmer), 270.50MW plant in Jaisalmer.
The Rajasthan energy department official said the state was allotted a coal mine in Hasdeo Aranya in 2015. The Central government issued phase-II forest clearance on October 21, 2021, and now the Chhattisgarh government has to issue phase-II forest clearance, and three other permits.
“Due to protest by tribals and concerns raised by environmentalists, the Chhattisgarh government is delaying the clearances,” said the official.
Rajasthan had witnessed power cuts in September and October due to coal shortage and the majority of thermal units were shut down. The state had to purchase power at higher rates from the exchange and the government was cornered by the Opposition BJP for mismanagement.
In another development facing power shortage, the Rajasthan government has inked an agreement with the Uttar Pradesh government of providing 700MW power till February under a banking scheme. The UP government will be supplying electricity between 10 am to 4 pm, which the state will be returning from August 2022.