Lok Sabha Question No. 1599 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-04
Subject: Bidding for Coal Blocks situated in Densely Forested Areas
Ministry: COAL
Asked by: Shri K Gopinath

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COAL

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO - 1599

TO BE ANSWERED ON 04.12.2024

## Bidding for Coal Blocks situated in Densely Forested Areas

1599. Shri K Gopinath:

Will the Minister of Coal be pleased to state:

- (a) whether it is a fact that the Environment Ministry, in its report of the year 2018 stated/opined against mining in 15 coal blocks due to their high biodiversity value;
- (b)  if  so,  the  opinion  sought  by  the  Ministry  of  Coal  from  Central  Mine  Planning  and  Design Institute (CMPDI) regarding 15 coal blocks situated in densely forested areas along with the details of the findings by the CMPDI;
- (c) the details of the bidding for the coal blocks in densely forested areas and justification given for the same; and
- (d) the results of bidding for coal blocks situated in various parts of the country till date?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF COAL AND MINES (SHRI G. KISHAN REDDY)

- (a):        Ministry  of  Environment,  Forests  and  Climate  Change  (MoEF&CC)  in  August,  2018 informed that 15 coal blocks fall in the area which need to be conserved and should be avoided for mining.
- (b):       A meeting with Central Mine Planning and Design Institute (CMPDI) was held in Ministry of Coal in April, 2022 to discuss whether the aforesaid 15 coal blocks can be considered after taking out some portions that may be fragile.   It was decided that it may not be possible to carve out some portion from the blocks, therefore, these 15 blocks may not be considered for allocation.
- (c):       After further deliberations in the matter of allocation of these 15 coal blocks in July, 2022, it was decided to consider the coal blocks which do not fall under Sanctuaries, National Parks and ESZ (Eco-sensitive zones) for underground mining after taking up the matter with MoEF&CC.  Out of the aforesaid 15 coal blocks, 5 coal blocks (Tara, Tandsi-III & Tandsi-III (Extn.), Vijay Central,  Mahan and Mara II-Mahan) do not fall under any Sanctuaries/National Parks/ESZ.

Further, in a "Bio Diversity study in the entire Hasdeo-Arand Coalfield comprising of Tara, Parsa, Parsa East & Kanta Basan and Kente Extension coal blocks in Chhattisgarh" carried out by Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) in which a report was  submitted to Govt. of Chhattisgarh, it was recommended that Tara coal block can be considered for mining with strict environmental safeguards including appropriate conservation measures for management of surface  water  and  biodiversity.   Considering  the   recommendations  in  the   Bio  diversity  study report for mining in Tara Coal Block, comments of MoEF&CC were sought for allocation of Tara coal block for mining through open cast mining and other 4 coal blocks ( Tandsi-III & Tandsi-III (Extn.), Vijay Central, Mahan and Mara II-Mahan) for underground mining .

MoEF&CC in Dec, 2022 replied that all mining proposals are processed on case to case basis. Apart from other regulatory approvals like Environmental Clearance etc., in case any forest land is involved, in any particular mine, then before starting actual mining operations in the forest land, approval of the Central Government under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 must be taken by the concerned user agency.

Accordingly, 4 coal blocks namely Tara, Tandsi-III & Tandsi-III (Extn.), Mahan and Mara IIMahan were put up for auction. For Tara coal block in Chhattisgarh, multiple bids were received in  the  auction  process, however,  pursuant  to  the   request  received  from  the  Government  of Chhattisgarh, the coal block was withdrawn from the auction process. Present status of allocation of remaining 3 coal mines is as under:

|   S. No. | Name of Coal mine              | Name of Coal block allocattee   | Status                                                                            |
|----------|--------------------------------|---------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|        1 | Mara II Mahan                  | Mahan Energen Ltd               | Allocated                                                                         |
|        2 | Tandsi-III &Tandsi-III (Extn.) | Not yet allocated               | Not auctioned.                                                                    |
|        3 | Mahan                          | Not yet allocated               | Coal mine development and production arrangement has been executed on 29.10.2024. |

- (d):     The detail of 118 allocated coal blocks under auction route till date whose allocation are in force presently is at Annexure.

***

## Detail of 118 coal blocks allocated under auction route, State-wise, till date whose allocation are in force presently

| S. No   | Name of Coal Mine                   | State        | District        | Successful Bidder / Allottee                           |
|---------|-------------------------------------|--------------|-----------------|--------------------------------------------------------|
| 1       | Chotia                              | Chhattisgarh | Korba           | Bharat Aluminium Company Ltd                           |
| 2       | Gare Palma IV/4                     | Chhattisgarh | Raigarh         | Hindalco Industries Ltd                                |
| 3       | Gare Palma Sector IV/8              | Chhattisgarh | Raigarh         | Ambuja Cements Ltd                                     |
| 4       | Bhaskarpara                         | Chhattisgarh | Surajpur        | Prakash Industries Limited                             |
| 5       | Gare Palma IV/7                     | Chhattisgarh | Raigarh         | Sarda Energy and Minerals Limited                      |
| 6       | Gare Palma IV/1                     | Chhattisgarh | Raigarh         | Jindal Power Limited                                   |
| 7       | Jhigador                            | Chhattisgarh | Surguja         | CG Natural Resources Private Ltd                       |
| 8       | Khargaon                            | Chhattisgarh | Surguja         | CG Natural Resources Private Ltd                       |
| 9       | Gare Palma IV/6                     | Chhattisgarh | Raigarh         | Jindal Steel and Power Limited                         |
| 10      | Barra                               | Chhattisgarh | Raigarh         | Bharat Aluminium Company Ltd                           |
| 11- 12  | Gare Palma IV/2 and Gare Palma IV/3 | Chhattisgarh | Raigarh         | Jindal Power Limited                                   |
| 13      | Datima                              | Chhattisgarh | Surajpur        | Shree Cement Limited                                   |
| 14      | Gare Palma Sector-I                 | Chhattisgarh | Raigarh         | Jindal Power Limited                                   |
| 15      | Purunga                             | Chhattisgarh | Raigarh         | CG Natural Resources Private Limited                   |
| 16      | Sherband                            | Chhattisgarh | Raigarh         | Nilkanth Coal Mining Private Limited                   |
| 17      | Baisi                               | Chhattisgarh | Raigarh         | Indermani Mineral India Pvt Ltd                        |
| 18      | Ganeshpur*                          | Jharkhand    | Latehar         | GMRChhattisgarh Energy Limited                         |
| 19      | Kathautia                           | Jharkhand    | Palamu          | Hindalco Industries Ltd                                |
| 20      | Lohari                              | Jharkhand    | Palamu          | Araanya Mines Private Limited                          |
| 21      | Meral                               | Jharkhand    | Palamu          | Trimula Industries Limited                             |
| 22      | Moitra                              | Jharkhand    | Hazaribagh      | JSW Steel Limited                                      |
| 23      | Rajhara North (Central &Eastern)    | Jharkhand    | Palamu          | Fairmine Carbons Private Limited                       |
| 24      | Gondulpara                          | Jharkhand    | Hazaribagh      | Adani Enterprises Limited                              |
| 25      | Urma Paharitola                     | Jharkhand    | Dumka and Pakur | Aurobindo Reality And Infrastructure Private Limited   |
| 26      | Brahmdiha                           | Jharkhand    | Giridih         | Andhra Pradesh Mineral Development Corporation Limited |
| 27      | Chakla                              | Jharkhand    | Latehar         | Hindalco Industries Ltd                                |
| 28      | Jogeshwar &Khas Jogeswar            | Jharkhand    | Ramgarh         | South West Pinnacle Exploration Limited                |

| 29- 30   | Brinda &Sasai              | Jharkhand      | Chatra & Hazaribagh    | Dalmia Cement (Bharat) Limited                |
|----------|----------------------------|----------------|------------------------|-----------------------------------------------|
| 31       | Rauta Closed               | Jharkhand      | Ramgarh                | Shreesatya Mine Private Limited               |
| 32       | Basantpur                  | Jharkhand      | Hazaribagh             | Gangaramchak Mining Pvt Ltd                   |
| 33       | Jitpur                     | Jharkhand      | Pakur                  | Terri Mining Private Ltd                      |
| 34       | Tokisud Block-II           | Jharkhand      | Ramgarh                | Twenty First Century Mining Private Limited   |
| 35       | Sitanala                   | Jharkhand      | Dhanbad                | JSW Steel Limited                             |
| 36       | Choritand Tiliaya          | Jharkhand      | Bokaro                 | Rungta Metals Private Limited                 |
| 37       | Binja                      | Jharkhand      | Ramgarh                | Assam Mineral Development Corporation Limited |
| 38       | Burakhap Small Patch       | Jharkhand      | Ramgarh                | Shreesatya Mines Private Limited              |
| 39       | Parbatpur Central          | Jharkhand      | Bokaro                 | JSW Steel Limited                             |
| 40       | Patal East (Eastern Part)  | Jharkhand      | Ramgarh and Hazaribagh | RCR Steel Works Private Limited               |
| 41       | North Dhadu (Eastern Part) | Jharkhand      | Latehar                | NTPC                                          |
| 42       | North Dhadu (Western Part) | Jharkhand      | Latehar                | NLCIL                                         |
| 43       | Babupara East              | Jharkhand      | Hazaribagh             | Rungta Sons Private Limited                   |
| 44       | Dumri                      | Jharkhand      | Hazaribagh             | S MSteels and Powver Limited                  |
| 45       | Duni Central               | Jharkhand      | Hazaribagh             | Bull Mining Private Limited                   |
| 46       | Lalgarh South              | Jharkhand      | Bokaro                 | Rungta Sons Private Limited                   |
| 47       | South of Damuda            | Jharkhand      | Bokaro                 | Rungta Sons Private Limited                   |
| 48       | Rabodih OCP                | Jharkhand      | Hazaribagh             | Twenty First Century Mining Private Limited   |
| 49       | Amelia North               | Madhya Pradesh | Sidhi                  | Jaiprakash Power Ventures Limited             |
| 50       | Bicharpur                  | Madhya Pradesh | Shahdol                | UltraTech Cement Limited                      |
| 51       | Sial Ghoghri               | Madhya Pradesh | Chindwara              | Reliance Cement Company Private Limited       |
| 52       | Bikram                     | Madhya Pradesh | Shahdol                | Birla Corp. Ltd                               |
| 53       | Brahampuri                 | Madhya Pradesh | Chindwara              | Birla Corp. Ltd                               |
| 54       | Urtan North                | Madhya Pradesh | Anuppur/ Shahdol       | JMS Mining Private Limited                    |
| 55       | Sahapur West               | Madhya Pradesh | Umaria& Shahdol        | Sarda Energy And Minerals Limited             |
| 56- 57   | Gotitoria (East)& (West)   | Madhya Pradesh | Narsinghpur            | Boulder Stone Mart Pvt Ltd                    |
| 58       | Urtan                      | Madhya Pradesh | Shahdol                | JMS Mining Private Limited                    |
| 59       | Dhirauli                   | Madhya Pradesh | Singrauli              | Stratatech Mineral Resources Private Limited  |

|   60 | Bandha                                                  | Madhya Pradesh   | Sidhi      | EMIL Mines And Mineral Resources Limited             |
|------|---------------------------------------------------------|------------------|------------|------------------------------------------------------|
|   61 | Gonbahera Ujheni East                                   | Madhya Pradesh   | Singrauli  | MP Natural Resources Private Limited                 |
|   62 | Beheraband North Ext.                                   | Madhya Pradesh   | Anuppur    | Auro Coal Private Limited                            |
|   63 | Maiki North                                             | Madhya Pradesh   | Shahdol    | Maiki South Mining Pvt. Ltd.                         |
|   64 | Bandha North                                            | Madhya Pradesh   | Singrauli  | Jaiprakash Power Ventures Limited                    |
|   65 | Marki Barka                                             | Madhya Pradesh   | Singrauli  | Birla Corp. Ltd                                      |
|   66 | Arjuni East                                             | Madhya Pradesh   | Umaria     | Ultratech Cement Limited                             |
|   67 | Arjuni West                                             | Madhya Pradesh   | Umaria     | Ganga Khanij Private Limited                         |
|   68 | Gondbahera Ujheni                                       | Madhya Pradesh   | Singrauli  | MP Natural Resources Private Limited                 |
|   69 | Mandla North                                            | Madhya Pradesh   | Chhindwara | Dalmia Cement (Bharat) Limited                       |
|   70 | Marwatola - VI                                          | Madhya Pradesh   | Shahdol    | JSW Cement Limited                                   |
|   71 | Marwatola - VII                                         | Madhya Pradesh   | Shahdol    | Rama Cement Industries Private Limited               |
|   72 | Pathora East                                            | Madhya Pradesh   | Umaria     | Shri Bajrang Power and Ispat Limited                 |
|   73 | Pathora West                                            | Madhya Pradesh   | Umaria     | Shri Bajrang Power and Ispat Limited                 |
|   74 | Mara II Mahan                                           | Madhya Pradesh   | Singrauli  | Mahan Energen Ltd                                    |
|   75 | Lamatola                                                | Madhya Pradesh   | Anuppur    | ACC Limited                                          |
|   76 | West of Shahdol(South)                                  | Madhya Pradesh   | Umaria     | JK Cement Ltd.                                       |
|   77 | Belgaon                                                 | Maharashtra      | Nagpur     | Sunflag Iron and Steel Company Limited               |
|   78 | Marki Mangli III                                        | Maharashtra      | Yavatmal   | B.S. Ispat Limited                                   |
|   79 | Marki Mangli-I                                          | Maharashtra      | Yavatmal   | Topworth Urja and Metals Ltd                         |
|   80 | Nerad Malegaon                                          | Maharashtra      | Yavatmal   | Indrajit Power Private Ltd                           |
|   81 | Marki Mangli-II                                         | Maharashtra      | Yavatmal   | Yazdani International Private Limited                |
|   82 | Gondkhari                                               | Maharashtra      | Nagpur     | Adani Power Maharashtra Ltd                          |
|   83 | Takli-Jena-Bellora (North) &Takli-Jena- Bellora (South) | Maharashtra      | Chandrapur | Aurobindo Reality And Infrastructure Private Limited |
|   84 | Bhivkund                                                | Maharashtra      | Chandrapur | Sunflag Iron and Steel Company Limited               |
|   85 | Marki Mangli-IV                                         | Maharashtra      | Yavatmal   | Sobhagya Mercantile Limited                          |
|   86 | Dahegaon-Gowari                                         | Maharashtra      | Nagpur     | Ambuja Cements Limited                               |
|   87 | Kalambi Kalmeshwar (Western Part)                       | Maharashtra      | Nagpur     | Samlok Industries Private Limited                    |

| 88       | North West of Madheri           | Maharashtra   | Chandrapur                                                          | MHNatural Resources Private Limited           |
|----------|---------------------------------|---------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------|
| 89       | Talabira-I*                     | Odisha        | Jharsuguda                                                          | GMRChhattisgarh Energy Limited                |
| 90       | Jamkhani                        | Odisha        | Sundergarh                                                          | Vedanta Ltd                                   |
| 91       | Radhikapur West                 | Odisha        | Angul                                                               | Vedanta Ltd                                   |
| 92       | Kuraloi (A) North               | Odisha        | Jharsuguda                                                          | Vedanta Ltd                                   |
| 93       | Utkal-C                         | Odisha        | Angul                                                               | Jindal Steel and Power Limited                |
| 94- 95   | Utkal B1 &B2                    | Odisha        | Angul                                                               | Jindal Steel and Power Limited                |
| 96       | Bijahan                         | Odisha        | Sundergarh                                                          | Mahanadi Mines &Minerals Pvt. Ltd.            |
| 97       | Bankhui                         | Odisha        | Angul                                                               | Yazdani Steel and Power Limited               |
| 98       | Alaknanda                       | Odisha        | Angul                                                               | Rungta Sons Pvt Ltd.                          |
| 99       | Baitarni West                   | Odisha        | Angul                                                               | Gujarat Mineral Development Corporation Ltd   |
| 100      | Burapahar                       | Odisha        | Sundargarh                                                          | Gujarat Mineral Development Corporation Ltd   |
| 101      | Chendipada (Revised)            | Odisha        | Angul                                                               | Rungta Sons Private Limited                   |
| 102      | Sakhigopal - B Kankili          | Odisha        | Angul                                                               | Rungta Sons Private Limited                   |
| 103      | Meenakshi West                  | Odisha        | Sundergarh                                                          | Hindalco Industries Ltd                       |
| 104      | Kudanali Lubri                  | Odisha        | Angul                                                               | Gujarat Mineral Development Corporation Ltd   |
| 105      | Machhakata(Revised)             | Odisha        | Angul                                                               | NLC India Limited                             |
| 106      | Sakhigopal-B Kakurhi            | Odisha        | Angul                                                               | TANGEDCO                                      |
| 107- 108 | Ghogharpalli &Its dip extension | Odisha        | Sundargarh                                                          | Vedanta Limited                               |
| 109      | Ardhagram*                      | West Bengal   | Bankura                                                             | OCL Iron and Steel LTD*                       |
| 110      | Sarisatolli                     | West Bengal   | Burdwan                                                             | CESC Limited                                  |
| 111      | Trans Damodar                   | West Bengal   | Bankura                                                             | The Durgapur Projects Limited                 |
| 112      | Jaganathpur B                   | West Bengal   | Bardhaman                                                           | Powerplus Traders Pvt. Ltd                    |
| 113      | Kasta East                      | West Bengal   | Birbhum                                                             | Jitusol developers Pvt Ltd                    |
| 114      | Kagra Joydev                    | West Bengal   | Birbhum                                                             | Orissa Metallurgical Industry Private Limited |
| 115      | Binodpur Bhabhaniganj           | West Bengal   | Birbhum                                                             | JMS Mining Private Limited                    |
| 116      | Koilajan                        | Assam         | Karbi Anglong (United Mikir Hills and North Cachar Hills Districts) | Assam Mineral Development Corporation Limited |
| 117      | Garampani                       | Assam         | Dima Hasao                                                          | Assam Mineral Development Corporation Limited |

| 118                                     | Namchik Namphuk                         | Arunachal Pradesh                       | Changlang   | Coal Pulz Private Limited   |
|-----------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------|-------------|-----------------------------|
| *Matter subjudice regarding Termination | *Matter subjudice regarding Termination | *Matter subjudice regarding Termination |             |                             |