Question : CLEARANCE OF COAL BLOCKS

(a) whether the Government hasformulated any action plan for quickclearance of coal blocks and relocation ofpower plants in some States; and

(b) if so, the details thereof State-wiseand the parameters adopted for thepurpose?

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF POWER (SHRI K.C. VENUGOPAL)

(a) & (b): At the instance of Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure, a Group of Ministers (GOM) was constituted on 03.02.2011 to consider environmental and developmental issues relating to coal mining and other developmental projects including the following:

i) the efficacy and legality of existing forest clearance norms and procedures being followed;

ii) environment clearance in respect of projects located in areas with high Comprehensive Environmental Pollution Index (CEPI); and

iii) the steps to be taken to ensure that better quality forests are regenerated in a time-bound manner after mining operations get over.

In view of the decisions taken by GOM in its various meetings, Ministry of Environment & Forests (MOEF) has agreed for Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) clearance on merits of all projects even in No-Go area. MOEF has since granted forest clearance of 8 coal blocks namely Dulanga (Orissa), Tara Central (Chhattisgarh), Manoharpur (Orissa), Dipside of Manoharpu (Orissa), Parsa East (Chhattisgarh), KantaBasan (Chhattisgarh), Parsa (Chhattisgarh) and Meenakshi (Orissa). There is no parameter adopted for this purpose. MOEF has since lifted moratorium on setting up of power plants in earlier listed areas under CEPI except Korba and Chandrapur. MOEF has also revised its circular dated 31.03.2011 and issued notification dated 09.09.2011 on the procedure for grant of environmental clearance.MOEF have also agreed to review the circular dated 01.11. 2010 to accord environmental clearance for all projects which have been granted coal linkage by Ministry of Coal/Standing Linkage Committee (Long term) without insistingon the source of coal.

There is no policy/action plan for relocation of power plants. The requests by the developers are dealt on case to case basis depending on various factors such as environmental clearance, acquisition of land, etc.