MCL moves SC over mines closure

Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd (MCL) on Tuesday moved the Supreme Court to get a stay on the order of the state mining department asking it to close down six of its coal mines for not having environment clearance.

MCL has closed its 6 coal mines in Jharsuguda district following the direction, an official of the company confirmed it on Tuesday.

“Coal production has stopped after the closure of the coal mines. We normally produce 4,000 to 5,000 tonnes a day from these mines. After the closure, supply of coal to various thermal power plants has been disrupted leading to power crisis in the state. However we are hopeful of resumption of our coal mines within a short interval as we are not in any fault”, the PRO of the MCL, Dikken Mehra said on Tuesday.  He informed that out of the 6 coal mines, 5 are underground mines.

In a release, the company revealed that the closure notice served is arbitrarily as the company has already applied for the clearance which has been pending with forest office since a long time.  “We have already applied for the clearance fulfilling all formalities, but the application is lying pending with the concerned department since a long time due to non-clearance of stage-1 forest clearance”, Mehra said.

He informed that earlier the apex court had directed the government to expedite the case submitted to the PCCF (principal chief conservator of forest) for onward transmission to the MoEF (ministry of environment and forest) for getting forest stage-1 clearance.  “But due to negligent attitude of the state forest officials the same has been lying pending with the concerned department”, Mehra said.

Meanwhile, the closure of the coal mines has affected the supply of coal to the thermal power stations leading to power crisis in the state. The major agencies like NTPC, OPGC and NALCO are facing difficulties in getting coal after the closure of the coal mines. “The situation would definitely be worst if the situation continues for another week or so”, Mehra said

Sources said underground mines of MCL started operation prior to 1980 i.e. before the enactment of the Forest act 1980. But the company needs clearance for the extension work of the mines.