Refrain from allotting coal blocks in dense forests: PSC

Noting that various coal and lignite projects have not made headway for want of green nod, a Parliamentary panel has asked the government to refrain from recommending allotment of coal blocks falling in dense forests.

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Coal and Steel in its report has not only recommended quick forest and environment clearances, but also informed the Environment Ministry that due to lack of forest clearances the coal production has been affected, resulting in loss to the nation.
"The delay in obtaining environmental clearances had led to alarming situation. Due to non-availability of forest clearance in time ... coal companies were not in a position to provide coal at the expected level," the report said.
"The committee had been told that the cases of rejection of forestry clearance have already been discussed in the Cabinet Committee meeting and it has given some suggestions for working out any solution," the report said.
Earlier Coal India, which accounts for more than 80% of the domestic coal production, had said that inordinate delays in getting green clearances for mining proposals had stalled investment decisions on 67 new projects and also affected expansion work in its ongoing projects.
The delays were hurting the production of 200 million tonnes of coal per annum, the maharatna firm had said. 
As per the stipulated procedure, forest clearances should be granted within 300 days. However, as per an assessment by the company, the process is taking as long as six years in some cases.
Apart from in-principle approval, which gets delayed by up to six years, final clearance takes an equally long time, the company had said.
Coal India's 168 projects are pending environment and forest clearances at the Centre and state levels.
A total of 114 projects of the public sector firm are awaiting Stage-I clearance (in-principle approval), of which 92 projects are waiting for the green signal at the state level, while the remaining await the nod from the Ministry of Environment and Forests. 
As far as Stage-II clearance (final approval) is concerned, 54 proposals are stuck, including 31 at the state level.