Deocha-Pachami-Dewanganj-Harinsingha

From Global Energy Monitor

Deocha-Pachami-Dewanganj-Harinsingha coal mine is a proposed operation on the Birbhum coalfield in West Bengal state, India.

Location

The map below shows the location of the Deocha-Pachami-Dewanganj-Harinsingha coal block, near Deucha village, Birbhum District, West Bengal State.[1][2]

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Background on Mine

The Deocha-Pachami and Dewanganj-Harinsingha coal blocks lie adjacent to one another on the Birbhum coalfield, over an area of 12.3 square kilometers.[2] With indicated reserves of 40.7 billion tons, this coalfield is one of India's largest.[3]

India's Ministry of Coal is currently in the process of allocating these coal blocks (as a single block) to an as-yet-undetermined state-owned company. While the Ministry stated in June 2013 that it hoped to allocate this block to a state company "within a week," that process is apparently still ongoing as of May 2015.[4] The initial investment is expected to be around 100 billion rupees, or about $1.5 billion.[5]

The West Bengal Power Development Corporation was allotted the coal block for development.

After some delay, in 2021, pre-mining activities began.[6]

As of 2022, a protest movement remains ongoing to cancel the project.[7] The region is home to 3,010 families, including 1,013 from tribal communities.

December 2021: Indigenous groups fend off Dechoa-Pachami mine brandishing bows, arrows, scythes

Deocha-Pachami Harinsingha Dewanganj Coal Mines, if completed, would the world’s second largest coal mine.[8] In December of 2021 in Dewnaganj (one of 18 villages impacted by the mine) one of the over 100 women leading resistance to the mine was beat by police to the point that she miscarried.[9] Despite ongoing repression, large projects in the area. like this coal mine, are frequently canceled:

Tata Motor canceled a car manufacturing plant, Indonesia's Salem group canceled its chemical hub project in 2007, and the Damodar Valley Corp. coal mine was canceled in 2017.[10]

Adivasi (indigenous) women defend their home from mining. Source: Gulmorhquarterly.com

Politicians have weighed in as well: "If the police are used to evict you, we'll legally break the police's hands. You keep your sticks ready for the appropriate use," said Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya, a leader of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and a member of Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Indian parliament.[10]

Digging surveys began in July 2022. Youth from 260 families that did give up their land were appointed junior constable by the West Bengal to Police.[11],[12]


Mine Details

  • Sponsor: West Bengal Power Development Corporation
  • Parent company: West Bengal Power Development Corporation
  • Location: Deucha village, Birbhum District, West Bengal State, India
  • Coordinates: 24.05916, 87.59965 (exact)
  • Status: Proposed
  • Capacity: TBD
  • Reserves: 2,102 Mt[7]
  • Resources: 40,719 Mt (28,093 MT proven, 12,626 MT indicated)[3]
  • In service:
  • Permits:
  • Coal type: Subbituminous
  • Mining method: Opencast
  • Source of financing:

Articles and resources

References

  1. Deocha Pachami Coal Block, Wikimapia, accessed May 2015.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Block Boundary Plan of Deocha-Pachami, Dewangunj, Harisingha Blocks, Birbhum Coalfield, Ministry of Coal, accessed May 2015.
  3. 3.0 3.1 Deocha-Pachami-Dewanganj-Harinsingha, Bhirbhum Coalfield, Ministry of Coal document, accessed May 2015.
  4. Govt to allocate 14 coal mines to PSUs within a week: Jaiswal, The Hindu, 28 June 2013.
  5. Deocha-Pachami-Dewanganj-Harinsingha, Birbhum Coalfield, India, Environmental Justice Atlas, accessed May 2015.
  6. Rohit Khanna, State panel begins groundwork for Deocha-Pachami coal project, Times of India, November 5, 2021
  7. 7.0 7.1 Protest meet demands withdrawal of Deocha Pachami coal project, Indian Express, Feb 12, 2022
  8. www.ETEnergyworld.com. "West Bengal allocated Deocha Pachami coal mine, the world's second-largest - ET EnergyWorld". ETEnergyworld.com. Retrieved 2022-11-22.
  9. Gurvinder Singh. "Women in India's West Bengal fight upcoming coal mine". Retrieved 2022-11-22.
  10. 10.0 10.1 Bhattacharya, Snigdhendu (2022-01-02). "Protests cast shadow over mining of India's largest coal block". Nikkei Asia. Retrieved 2022-11-22.
  11. Team MP (2022-07-15). "Deocha Pachami: Digging starts at about 14 sites for coal mine project". Retrieved 2022-11-22.
  12. Chakraborty, Snehamoy (2022-07-22). "260 persons affected by coal mine project get job letters". The Telegraph Online. Retrieved 2022-11-22.

Related GEM.wiki articles

External resources