Govt panel for 30-year extension of green nod to C’garh coal mine

NEWDELHI: The environment ministry’s expert appraisal committee has recommended that the environmental clearance issued to Gevra Opencast coal mine ( 45 million tonnes per annum) in Chhattisgarh’s Korba district be extended for the next 30 years or the life of the mine, whichever is earlier.

EAC however said a decision on whether the plant capacity can be expanded further from 45 MTPA to 49 MTPA will be taken only after certain studies including an assessment of the ecosystem’s ability to cope with this are conducted. The Gevra mine is being operated by South Eastern Coalfields Ltd, a subsidiary of state-owned Coal India Ltd.

“As a public sector undertaking we have to follow certain formalities. This is why the government allows us to function. We have followed all formalities,” said a senior SECL (public relations) official.

The minutes of the meeting of EAC held on February 20, and published on the ministry’s Parivesh website suggest that the extension of environmental clearance for 30 years and expansion of the mine has been considered without any public consultaholders’ tion. The minutes note that advertisements were placed in one English and two Hindi newspapers on December 5, 2019 by the Chhattisgarh Environment Conservation Board (CECB) but that these did not receive any comments or objections or remarks from public in writing even after 30 days of publication.

EAC while considering the expansion proposal in June last year, recommended that the Chhattisgarh Pollution Control Board, which is called CECB, issue a public notice and redress complaints raised by stakeholders before proceeding with the application. The project was granted environmental clearance on June 3, 2009 for its expansion from 25 to 35 MTPA based on a public hearing conducted on August 22, 2008. EAC noted at the time that the last public hearing conducted for the mine was over 10 years old so a fresh one ought to be conducted. Locals alleged they could not raise objections in time because they never saw the public notice asking for stakecomments.

HT reported on February 22 that community members, through Janabhivyakti, a local environmental organisation, filed two right to information queries to CECB enquiring if a public notice had been issued and comments received. This was because they feared that they would miss the opportunity of having their voice heard. In two replies issued on October 18, 2019 and January 3, 2020, copies of which are with HT, the CECB said this information is not available. But the advertisements for public consultations were already placed by CECB on December 5.

“I have not received any comments, suggestion or objection from any local person affected by the plant till today,” said RP Shinde, regional officer of CECB. But Bipasha Paul from Janabhivyakti said “local people missed the consultation because CECB gave incorrect information under RTI. ..”.

“When the government is giving extension for 30 years, it ought to consult local people...,” said Alok Shukla, convenor of the Chhattisgarh Bachao Andolan.

EAC minutes said the extension was issued based on compliance with provisions of the environmental clearance granted in 2009.

THE MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF EAC SUGGEST THAT DECISION HAS BEEN TAKEN WITHOUT ANY PUBLIC CONSULTATION