The Union minister for coal Shri Prakash Jaiswal has written a letter to all chief ministers of coal bearing states not to install big projects in coal bearing areas of their respective states.
Talking to reporters here on Friday, Mr Jaiswal said that a letter in this regard had been sent to UP chief minister Mayawati also since the Singrauli-Sonebhadra area was coal bearing.
“We have requested the chief ministers to check with Coal India and its subsidiaries about the coal bearing areas in their states before approving any major project here. The demand for coal is on the upswing and we want to keep the coal bearing areas free for mining,” he said.
The minister said that development of the nation depended on industrialisation which, in turn depended on coal. “The progress of the nation cannot be delayed due to paucity of coal. The coal bearing land in the country is merely 0.54 per cent of the total land in the country and 0.15 per cent of this is forest area. We do not wish to disturb the environment or enter the wildlife corridor. If we cut down trees, we will do two and a half times forestation in the area,” he explained.
Expressing confidence that the GoM constituted by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to resolve the impasse between coal ministry and environment would soon solve the problems, Mr Jaiswal said that a policy that would be mutually acceptable to both the ministries was likely to be formulated within two months.
He further said that in order to bring transparency in functioning of the coal ministry, the draft bill for the Coal Regulatory Authority was ready and likely to be tabled in the coming session of Parliament.
He said that the bill would vastly improve the image of his ministry.