Hasdeo: Amidst row over tree felling for coal mining in Para in north Chhattisgarh,
Rajasthan Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Ltd.
(RVUNL) has maintained that compensatory
afforestation was strictly being carried in
accordance with the norms.
We have in fact planted more trees since two coal blocks of Parsa East Kanta Basan(PEKB), Parsa and Kente Extension coal blocks were allotted to us, RVUNL chairman cum managing director R K Sharma told reporters.
He was here for a discussion with state chief secretary Amitabh Jain and government officials of Surguja and Surajpur district to discuss implementation with regard to permissions granted for starting coal mining operations in the second phase of the project.
RVUNL MDs statement comes at a time when environment and tribal group activist shave stepped up a massive Save Hasdeo campaign within the country and abroad alleging that the coal mining in PEKB block would lead to destruction of forests in the Hasdeo Aranya region.
Referring to the power crisis in Rajasthan, he said Rajasthan will plunge into server power crisis if it fails to kick start coal production from the second phase of PEKB Block where it is not possible to recover coal anymore from the first phase. Also, coal production from Parsa and Kente Extension blocks is critical for Rajasthan’s energy security in the future.