After a prolonged communication over coal supplies, the Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot arrived in Raipur on Friday and held a lengthy meeting with his Chhattisgarh counterpart Bhupesh Baghel.
After the meeting, Baghel told reporters Rajasthan Chief Minister expressed concerns over coal supplies and added there has been a prolonged communication between the Centre and Rajasthan government as well. The Rajasthan government was allotted coal blocks in Chhattisgarh as per Centre’s rules and the process is underway as per the law, he added.
Baghel clarified that mines belong to the Chhattisgarh government but the allotment of coal stocks is done by the Centre. Even his government gets its stocks through the Centre’s allotment arrangement, he said.
Baghel clarified that proper legal process will be followed and local concerns especially those related to the environment will be taken care of. Keeping this in view, the Lemru Elephant Reserve was to be set up in the northern part of the state and an area of 1,995 square kilometres was notified to save the environment, biodiversity and Hasdeo Bango Dam, Baghel said.
There are 39 coal blocks, including two given to the Chhattisgarh government, within the limits of the reserve, he added.
The Rajasthan government corporations had won several coal blocks in Chhattisgarh in Centre’s bidding in the past but several environmental groups are opposed to these mining activities citing damage to local biodiversity in Hasdeo Aranya and other areas.
Responding to Baghel’s statement, Gehlot said he appreciates environmental concerns cited by Baghel but the Centre allots these coal blocks to states after due assessment. “We are demanding supplies from Parsa East and Kanta Basan blocks and the new 5 million tonnes block at Parsa,” said Gehlot. The Rajasthan government faces a possible blackout due to a shortfall in coal supplies to power plants producing 4500 MW power in case the Chhattisgarh government doesn’t extend cooperation.
The Rajasthan Chief Minister termed the possible coal blackout as a serious issue and said it was the reason why he visited the state in hopes that Chhattisgarh decides the earliest. “We had made appeals in the past but there might be some compulsions which forced you not to accept pleas,” he added.
For the past two years, Gehlot had been pushing Baghel for early clearances for two coal blocks allotted to his government in Chhattisgarh, even seeking the intervention of the Centre and Congress high command as well.
Gehlot in a letter to Baghel in 2020 urged the latter to expedite the various approvals for early development of ‘Parsa’ and ‘Kente Extension’ coal blocks and continued operation of Parsa East and Kente Basan (PEKB) block, enabling RVUNL to meet fuel requirement of the state. “The State has invested more than Rs 40,000 crore in thermal power stations installations. These coal blocks fulfil the majority of coal requirements of the current as well as upcoming Rajasthan Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Ltd power stations and are essential to ensure fuel security in the form of an uninterrupted supply of coal to produce electricity for the state,” he wrote.
The coal blocks, Parsa, Parsa East, Kente Basan and Kente Extension are located in Sarguja, Chhattisgarh. Out of these, three were allocated to Rajasthan in 2014 but locals have protested the move as the area comes under the Hasdeo Arand forest area. Tribal rights groups are opposed to mining activities in Hasdeo Aranya, a centuries-old natural forest rich in bio-diversity.
According to officials, the first phase of mining on over 762 hectares of land in Parsa East and Kente Basan (PEKB) block allotted RVUNL in 2007, started in 2013. Two other blocks- Parsa and Kente Extension blocks were allocated in 2015. The Rajasthan power utility has been seeking to commence mining operations for the second phase in PEKB.
The RVUNL had received forest clearance from the Union government for mining in the second phase of PEKB and Parsa blocks, and further necessary approvals are reported to be under consideration before the Chhattisgarh government.
The development of Kente Extension continues to be stuck as a public hearing has not been held, with residents of villages in both these blocks opposing mining for a long time.
(With inputs PTI)
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