NLC India to start mining from Talabira-II, III coal blocks in FY21

Government-owned navratna company NLC India plans to commence mining from its Talabira-II & III coal blocks in Sambalpur from the next financial year. Annual production capacity from the coal blocks with estimated deposits of 554 million tonnes (mt) is pegged at 20 mt.

“Coal extracted from the blocks will feed NLC’s planned 3,200 megawatt (Mw) Talabira Thermal Power project in Odisha and the company’s 1,000 megawatt (Mw) coal-based project at Tuticorin (Tamil Nadu). Payment of compensation for the families affected by the Talabira-II & III coal blocks is under way. Total compensation is worked out to be Rs 1,200 crore. We have already disbursed Rs 30 crore,” said a source in the know.

Adani Enterprises has been chosen the mine developer-cum-operator (MDO) for the coal blocks.

Coal mining from the blocks will help in electrification of lakhs of households and commercial establishments. The integrated energy projects are anticipated to attract investments in excess of Rs 20,000 crore and additional investments in a staggered manner for the mining project, thus, spawning job opportunities.

In 2016, the Government of India had allocated Talabira-II & III coal blocks to NLC India under discretionary route to fuel the company’s power projects.

NLC India has offered attractive rehabilitation and resettlement packages to all project affected villages of the coal blocks. Last week, executives drawn from NLC detailed the packages to the affected people in the presence of the district administration officials. The revised compensation package offered by the company is higher than the prescribed norms under Odisha Resettlement & Rehabilitation Policy, 2006, and Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013.

“Families residing at coal blocks will be given significant compensation for their land at a rationalised market value to draw parity among the villages. Eligible families will get pucca houses with 1,067 square (sq.) feet (ft) of super built-up area, including cowshed — on 4,400 sq. ft of plot in newly constructed colonies. To provide sustainable living in lieu of employment, families with eligible adult members will be given lump sum payment, in addition to the monthly financial assistance of Rs 3,000 with biennial increase of Rs 500, as suggested by the district authorities,” NLC India said in a statement.