MoEF,coal min likely to join hands in according green clearances

The coal ministry’s bonhomie with the MoEF has surfaced after the later recently removed the moratorium of Comprehensive Environment Pollution Index (CEPI) from 20 coal-bearing areas. As of now,the fate of 203 blocks,with reserves of 660 million tonne,are hanging in balance as the MoEF has categorised them as falling into ‘No Go’ areas.

According to a senior coal ministry official,in a meeting with MoEF and coal ministry officials on May 21,2010,Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s principal secretary T K A Nair had recommended setting up an Inter Ministerial Group (IMG) “to suggest a procedure to ensure that necessary clearance from MoEF is available before the auction or allocation of mining blocks takes place so as to avoid a similar situation in future.”

“The MoEF brass have indicated to us that they would be willing to be part of the proposed set up. It may not be an IMG as we can work it out bilaterally,” the official said.

“We are not averse to taking MoEF on board for securing green clearances before allocating fresh blocks. We will talk to them soon in this connection,” the official added.

Embarking upon its in-house diligence,the coal ministry has asked Central Mine Planning and Design Institute (CMPDI) and Neyveli Lignite Corporation (NLC) to furnish revised information on all available coal blocks,which could be put out for competitive bidding.

“The details of the blocks would then be sent to the MoEF for examination,” the ministry said in an order to CMPDI.

In accordance with PM’s principal secretary Nair’s suggestion,the coal and mines ministries have planned to set up technical groups including representatives of MoEF “to make suitable recommendations on framing set of forest clearance principles/norms in respect of underground mines.”

The stalemate on lack of green clearances continue to haunt the coal ministry as it prepares a draft bid document to auction 52 fresh coal blocks for captive mining.

The officials from the coal and environment ministries are expected to discuss threadbare the coal ministry’s suggestion to enforce mandatory afforestation by the block holders by inserting a provision in the existing guidelines on having a foolproof escrow account for funding such activities.

Coming together

* At the behest of the PMO,coal and environment ministries are expected to begin talks to forge a ‘systemic change’ in according environmental clearances

* PM’s principal secretary TKA Nair has asked for setting up an inter ministerial group to suggest procedure for necessary clearances before auction

* The coal ministry is mulling over the idea and plans to take the environment ministry on board