The Environment Ministry has indicated that it is willing to consider six coal blocks in the forest areas or ‘No-Go' areas of Ib Valley in Orissa for clearance.
The blocks are linked to the Orissa Ultra Mega Power Project (UMPP), NTPC and Orissa Power Generation Corporation (OPGC).
The Ministry's latest move comes after the project proponents NTPC and OPGC submitted their revised mining plans and impact of these projects on the bio-diversity was reviewed. Also the fact that these projects will use the super critical technology, resulting in 5-8 per cent lower carbon dioxide emissions, helped the Ministry change its stand.
“In view of these factors, all six blocks will now be considered by the Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) as Go areas,” said the Environment Minister, Mr Jairam Ramesh, in a statement.
Of the six blocks, three coal blocks – Meenakshi A & B, and Meenakshi Dipside – have been allocated to the 4000-MW UMPP at Sundergarh in Orissa, a Central Government initiative. The two Manoharpur blocks have been linked to OPGC's 1320 MW and the Dulanga block has been allocated to NTPC's 1600 MW.
OPGC's proposal, pending with FAC, will be taken up at its next meeting, while the proposals relating to UMPP and NTPC will be considered when they are received by the Orissa Government, Mr Ramesh said. Further, the Ministry has imposed an additional condition for the project proponents, who will have to bear the cost of regeneration of an area of open, degraded forest land equivalent to the amount of medium density forest land being diverted for the projects.