NECIL looks to ramp up coal production in Assam

Coal India unit Northeastern Coalfields (NECIL) which is operating one coal mine in Margherita sub-division in Tinsukia district, is making efforts to increase production from two lakh metric tonnes to 15 lakhs tonnes per annum. The Chairman & Managing Director of Coal India Limited (CIL), PM Prasad, and his team of senior officials called on the Chief Secretary, Ravi Kota at his Office chamber in Lok Sewa Bhawan, Guwahati. The Chief Secretary during interaction, reviewed the progress of the ongoing projects of NECIL in Assam.

Kota highlighted that the Assam Government under the leadership of the Chief Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma is keen on developing Assam as a sustainable and environmentally clean source of coal for relevant industries to reduce import of coal and to help in employment generation. The government is also exploring ways to maximize exploration and utilisation of the coal resources to accelerate economic growth, he said.

At present, one coal mine in Margherita sub-division in Tinsukia district, under NECIL is actively extracting coal with an annual production of two lakh metric tonnes of coal. The production is likely to increase to three lakh tonnes per annum very soon and efforts are being undertaken to expand the same to 15 lakhs tonnes (1.5 Mn tonnes) per annum.

To achieve the same, coordinated action of the Revenue & Disaster Management, Environment & Forest, and Mines & Mineral Departments of the Government of Assam with NECIL will be undertaken. It is anticipated that the increased production of coal will not only meet the requirements of state-based industries but also increase the revenue to the state exchequer significantly.

To improve the livelihood of the mining workforce of the state through targeted CSR activities, the CIL authorities may identify schools and hospitals in the areas of mining and work on infrastructural development wherever required, Kota said. The concerned district administrations will provide necessary assistance as and when CIL shares the proposal in this context and meets the desired requirement of the government for the advancement of the concerned mining populace, he added.

Highlighting the sporadic incidents of illegal mining activities, Kota suggested that the CIL authorities in coordination with the respective district administrations must mitigate such occurrences by considering area-specific issues like coal intake by locals residing near the extraction areas. Further, the CIL authorities also stated that joint inspections of the mining areas can be conducted fortnightly to check the illegal activities.