Govt clears Chhatrasal mine, the last of three blocks allotted to ultra mega power plant being developed by the company at Sasan, Madhya Pradesh
Anil Ambani promoted-Reliance Power Ltd has received environmental clearance for its 5- million-tonne-a-year coal mine at Chhatrasal, Madhya Pradesh, meant for its 3,960 mw Sasan ultra mega power plant (UMPP), the largest integrated power and coal mining project in the world.
The mine is the last of the three coal blocks allotted for the project, with the other two – Moher and Moher–Amroli extension – being in operation since 2012.
On Wednesday, Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone had said the environment ministry had granted environment and coastal regulation zone clearance for its Mundra Special Economic Zone, a huge industrial hub where it also plans to build an effluent treatment plant.
Sasan Power Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Reliance Power Ltd, which is developing the UMPP, got the clearance for the Chhatrasal mine on Friday, eight years after the three mines, called the Sasan coal mines, were allocated in 2006.
According to plans prepared by the company for these mines, and subsequently approved by the coal ministry, the aggregate coal reserves of these mines are around 700 million tonne (mt) with a production level of 25 mt a year.
The Chhatrasal block, located in Singrauli district, has a coal reserves of about 150 mt and peak-rated capacity of 5 mt a year.
The project was last considered by the Expert Appraisal Committee in October 2013 and recommended for environment clearance.
"The ministry of environment and forests has examined the application in accordance with EIA (Environment Impact Assessment) notification 2006, and under the provisions thereof, hereby accords environmental clearance for the Chhatrasal Open Cast Coalmine project," the ministry said in its letter date July 11.
The clearance, the letter added, is, however, subject to obtaining Wildlife Protection Act.
"The committee has noted that the Wildlife Conservation Plan indicates presence of elephants in the study area. However the proponent has clarified that the elephants use the area more as a passage occasionally, and return to their habitat located outside the study area," the approval letter said.
The life of the mine is 21 years and Sasan Power is investing Rs 1,500 crore in capital costs.
There is no court case or violation pending with the developer, it noted.
The developer would have to made a one-time investment of Rs 4 crore for livelihood development of tribal population.
The environment clearance comes just when Sasan project has started its fifth unit.
Reliance Power on Tuesday said that boiler light up has been achieved for the fifth unit of the project which has six units of 660 mw each.
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