New Kente Extension Coal Mine Project in Chhattisgarh Gains Support from Locals
The public hearing for the proposed Kente Extension open-cast mine project, organized by the Environmental Protection Board in the Udaipur Block of Surguja district in Chhattisgarh, concluded successfully on Friday.
Project Details
The state-owned Rajasthan Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Limited (RRVUNL) will open a new captive coal mine spanning 1,760 hectares with an annual coal production capacity of 11 million tonnes. This development follows the successful 12-year operation of the Surguja-based Parsa East Kente Basan (PEKB) Block, which produces 15 million tonnes of coal annually. The government of India has also allocated the Parsa Block to RRVUNL in the Surguja district.
Benefits
Better access to coal from captive mines will reduce Rajasthan’s dependence on Coal India and expensive imported coal to fuel its power generation units. The Ministry of Coal has awarded the PEKB Block a prestigious Five-Star Rating for its excellent operations. RRVUNL has invested in corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives focusing on education, healthcare, livelihood, and rural infrastructure development.
Community Support
Thousands of villagers from Udaipur tehsil’s Kente, Basen, Chakeri, Parogiya, and other nearby villages arrived despite rain to express their support for the Public Hearing. The hearing lasted for seven hours and was chaired by Vijay Singh Porte, the Environmental Protection Board Regional Officer, and Sunil Kumar Nayak, the Additional District Magistrate.
Deputy Sarpanch of Parsa, Ganeshram Yadav, praised RRVUNL’s efforts, saying, “With the help of the locals, RRVUNL has given a new identity to Sarguja by planting more than 12 lakh trees on the previously mined land of the PEKB Block, making it a model mine in the country.”
Trilochan Pekra from Chakeri village and Urmila Pando from Basen village also expressed their support, highlighting the project’s potential to provide job and self-employment opportunities, especially for women and youth.
Officials in Attendance
VP Garg, the Additional Chief Engineer of RRVUNL, provided information about the Chhattisgarh project. Sub-Divisional Magistrate Bansingh Netam, Town Inspector of Udaipur Chandra Kumari, and Udaypur Block Tehsildar Chandrashila Jayswal were also in attendance.
Doubts Revealed
Kente Extension Coal Mine -: This is a new project to dig out coal from the ground in a place called Kente in Chhattisgarh. Coal is a black rock that can be burned for energy.
Chhattisgarh -: Chhattisgarh is a state in central India. It has many forests and is rich in minerals like coal.
Public hearing -: A public hearing is a meeting where people can give their opinions about a project. It helps the government understand what the community thinks.
Surguja district -: Surguja is a district in Chhattisgarh. A district is like a big area that includes many towns and villages.
Rajasthan Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Limited (RRVUNL) -: RRVUNL is a company owned by the state of Rajasthan. It produces electricity for people to use.
11 million tonnes annually -: This means the mine will produce 11 million tonnes of coal every year. A tonne is a unit of weight, like kilograms but much bigger.
Imported coal -: Imported coal is coal that is bought from other countries. This project will help Rajasthan use coal from India instead.
Regional development -: Regional development means improving the area around the mine. This can include building roads, schools, and hospitals.
Job creation -: Job creation means making new jobs for people. This project will need many workers, so it will give people in the area new jobs.
Self-employment opportunities -: Self-employment opportunities mean chances for people to start their own small businesses. For example, someone might open a shop or provide services to the mine workers.