Ministry of Environment and Forests gives its nod to Mahanadi Coalfield mining project in Odisha..

The Environment Ministry has cleared with certain conditions the expansion of a mining project in Odisha of Mahanadi Coalfield Ltd., a subsidiary of Coal India Ltd. The Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) has said in a letter to MCL that it 'hereby accords environmental clearance for the expansion of Bhubaneshwari opencast project from 20 MTPA (Million Tonnes Per Annum) to 25 MTPA of Mahanadi Coalfields...subject to compliance of terms and conditions.'

The conditions are that no mining operations will be undertaken in the forest land until clearance has been obtained under the provisions of FC (Forest Conservation) Act, 1980; the maximum production from the mine at any given time should not exceed the limit as prescribed in the EC (Environment Clearance) and the production should be within the same mining lease area among others. The letter said the proposal was considered in the second Expert Appraisal Committee meeting held on October 3-4, and reconsidered in the 9th EAC meeting held earlier this year.

ET