Naigaon coal mine

From Global Energy Monitor

The Naigaon coal mine is an opencast mine, operated by Western Coalfields Limited, a subsidiary of Coal India, production 0.8 million tonnes per annum in village Bellora, Tehsil Wani, District Yavatmal, Maharashtra, India.

The project has a proposed expansion to upscale capacity to 1.25 MTPA.

Location

The satellite image below shows the area of the mine located in village Bellora, Tehsil Wani, District Yavatmal, Maharashtra.

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Background on Mine

The Ministry of Environment & Forests has granted Environment Clearance for expansion in the production of coal capacity in the existing Naigaon Opencast Coalmine Project from 0.80 MTPA to 1.25 MTPA in the existing ML area of 398.66 ha on 2nd February 2009. [1]

The Naigaon OC Mine is located near Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve and falls in the corridor of Umred Karhandla Wildlife Sanctuary, Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve, Pench Tiger Reserve, Navegaon Nagzira Tiger Reserve, Melghat Tiger Reserve, Bor Wildlife Sanctuary, and Tipeshwar Wildlife Sanctuary. The mining in the wildlife corridor may lead to increased Human-Wildlife Conflict in the area.

In 2014 it was highlighted by the green activists that WCL allegedly releasing untreated, highly contaminated water from two open cast coal mines into Vidarbha's second biggest river - Wardha. The alarming level of pollution can be gauged from the colour of the water in the big river. The surface layer of the river has turned yellowish and blackish at spots where the polluted water is being released into the river. [2]

Scrapping of the River Regulatory Zone (RRZ) Policy The RRZ policy was notified through a Government Resolution dated 15.07.2000, of the Maharashtra State through which rivers basins were divided into 4 zones/categories from A1 to A4 and each zone had specific regulations about siting industries and sewage from settlements on river banks. The zones were based on water quality.[3]

The Maharashtra Government vide Government Resolution dated 3rd February 2015 revoked the RRZ policy. The state government’s decision to scrap the policy will pave way for the proposed Western Coalfield mines and expansions projects proposed in Wardha valley. These mines were in the close range of 1,200 metres or less from Wardha river and held up for years due to RRZ policy. The proposed mines that would be benefited by scrapping of RRZ policy include Mungoli opencast mine (WCL, Wani area), Dhorwasa opencast mine, (WCL, Majri area), Ukni Deep opencast mine (WCL, Wani North area), Telwasa opencast mine (WCL, Majri area), Naigaon opencast mine (WCL, Wani area), Yekona-I and Yekona-II opencast mines (both in WCL, Majri area). [4]

Mine Details

  • Sponsor: Western Coalfield Limited
  • Parent company: Coal India Limited
  • Location: Village Bellora, Tehsil Wani, District Yavatmal, Maharashtra
  • GPS coordinates: 19.965833, 79.093056
  • Status: Operating
  • Production Capacity: 0.8 MTPA
  • Total Resource:
  • Mineable Reserves:
  • Coal Type:
  • Mine Size: 398.66 ha
  • Mine Type: Opencast with shovel-dumper combination
  • Start Year: 1996 [5]
  • Source of Financing: Coal India Limited
  • Permits and Applications:

Expansion Details


Articles and Resources

Sources

  1. [http://westerncoal.in/sites/default/files/userfiles/NAIGAON_C.pdf Environment Clearance dated 2nd February 2009
  2. [https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/WCL-poisoning-Wardha-river-allege-green-activists/articleshow/45197183.cms TOI News Article, WCL ‘poisoning’ Wardha river, allege green activists, 19th November, 2014
  3. [https://sandrp.in/2015/02/12/maharashtra-scraps-river-regulation-zone-pandering-to-industry-at-the-cost-of-rivers-and-people/ SANDRP Blog - Maharashtra scraps river regulation zone, 12th February, 2015
  4. [https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/7-WCL-mines-to-benefit-from-scrapping-of-RRZ-policy/articleshow/46729681.cms TOI News Article, 7 WCL Mines to benefit from scrapping of RRZ policy, 29th March, 2015
  5. [http://www.westerncoal.in/sites/default/files/userfiles/ENV-CR-NAIGAON%20OC.pdf Six Monthly Environment Monitoring Report from October 2017 to March 2018

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