Odisha govt seeks status of end-use plants

The mining department of Odisha government asked the developers of Rampia and Mandakini A coal blocks to submit status of the end-use power plants.

The above two blocks are allotted to captive miners who are developing power plants. While Rampia coal block is allotted jointly to Sterlite Energy, GMR Energy, ArcellorMittal India, Lanco Group, Navbharat Power and Reliance Energy, Mandakini A coal block is awarded to Tata Power, Jindal India Thermal Power and Monnet Energy. Mandakini A coal block has 322 million tonne reserves.

According to the state government norms, the allocatees must furnish status of end-use plants linked to coal blocks. Information on the end-use project should include capacity of the thermal or captive power plant (CPP) and up-to-date progress of the project regardless of whether it is located within the state or outside.

As of now, GMR has started its plant operation at Dhenkanal district while Monnet Energy is expected to complete plant construction by the end of September. All other companies are yet to acquire land for their respective plants.

Both the above blocks are yet to be mined owing to delays at state and central government levels over grant of environment and forest clearances. Further, the eruption of the coal block allotment scam delayed the development of these blocks.

Following this, the state government made norms stringent for allotting captive mines. The allocatees must provide particulars relating to stake holding of the company formed to develop the coal block.