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The ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) had granted environment clearance to Sondiha coal block allotted to the state-run Chhattisgarh Mineral Development Corporation Limited (CMDCL). The Sondiha coal block that is part of Tatapani-Ramkola coalfields and located in the north-eastern part of Sarguja district was allotted to the CMDCL in 2007 under the government company dispensation route. The pocket where the reserve lies borders Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. “The MoEF had granted environment clearance to the coal block and the corporation will complete the other formalities required to start the mining operation,” a senior CMDCL official said.
The clearance has been granted for the block that had been spread in an area of 810 hectares that includes 300 hectares farm land, 327 hectares forest land, 14 hectares waste land, 12 hectares road, 17 hectares water area.
In Sondiha block a total of 50.423 MT of net proved reserves have been estimated. It consists of 31.480 MT of opencast reserve and 18.942 MT of underground reserve. The grade of coal ranges from C to E.
According to the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) report, the rated capacity of mine is 1.00 MTPA of coal. The block shall be operated by opencast and underground method of mining. The rated capacity 1.00 MTPA of coal shall be achieved by opencast mining method from first year to 15th year.
After 15th year the mine shall be operated both by opencast mining and underground mining. From 16th year onwards coal production from Opencast Mine shall be 0.75 MTPA and remaining 0.25 MTPA shall be produced from Underground Mine. The life of the opencast mine shall be 33 years and in total the life of the combined mine (opencast and underground) shall be 36 years.
The CMDCL official said the coal block had been reserved to feed the raw material demand of small enterprises set up in Chhattisgarh.
