The Pakri Barwadih Coal Mining Project began coal production on January 1, 2017. The maximum peak capacity of the mine for coal production is 18 Million Metric Tonnes per annum. The coal produced by Pakri Barwadih Coal Mining Project is being supplied to NTPC’s Barh Super Thermal Power Plant and it is also meant as a basket mine for NTPC’s Eastern Region Power Plants, said Group General Manager of NTPC coal projects, T Gopalakrishna to The Pioneer at Barkagaon site office on Tuesday.
NTPC ventured into coal mining when Government of India allotted it Pakri Barwadih and Keredari coal blocks of Hazaribagh district in 2004. The Pakri Barwadih Mines, as per the survey of Geological Survey of India, has coal reserves of about 1436 Million Metric Tonnes, out of which 503 MMT is mineable, added the GGM.
After allotment of coal block NTPC started acquiring land from the villagers. Gopalakrishna said that the total requirement of land, estimated by NTPC is around 8059.67 acres which includes private, GM and forest land. The NTPC has paid for 4450.664 acres of land by now.
Talking about coal transportation, AK Sharma, GM Project said, “At present, coal is transported to the railway siding located at Banadagh through road, from where it is loaded on the train rakes for the designated Power Plant”. In future, our plan is to transport coal to the railway siding through 14 km long conveyer belt, he added.
Talking about rehabilitation and resettlement and CSR policy PK Chaturvedi, AGM R&R said, “To help the local population in its rehabilitation and resettlement, NTPC is constructing R&R colony having all modern facilities. The company is also conducting CSR activities in the project affected areas on a regular basis. Whether it is related to skill development, women empowerment, education, health or welfare activity, NTPC is always one-step ahead,”, he added.
Chaturvedi further said, “For skill development of youths, the company is providing various types of training through its ITI in the trades like welder, fitter and electrician. 60 youths were provided motor driving license after getting vehicle driving training. 135 youths have been given training for junior data analyst. For women empowerment, the company along with Jharcraft and Co-operative society is giving the training of sewing machine operation”.
Giving further details of R&R activities, Chaturvedi informed that NTPC Pakri Barwadih has converted more than 15 schools into Model schools in the Project Affected Areas. It also provided various kinds of educational aids such as study material, school uniform, and scholarships to meritorious students, books for library, mobile lab for science students etc.
Dr. Sanjay Kumar said that the company organises health camps, atleast 15-16 in a month, at regular interval in schools and villages and distributes free medicines. lady gynecologist has also been deployed for medical examination for women. Through Swachh Bharat Campaign, NTPC has launched the awareness program and making people aware about the benefits of proper sanitation”, he added.
"In the field of development of basic infrastructure, the company has invested in the construction of roads, bridges, boundary and toilets in schools, lighting the streets of villages of project affected areas," GGM Gopalakrishna signed off.
