BILASPUR .South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL), a flagship arm of state-run
Coal India Limited (CIL), has set a target to produce 182 million
tonnes (MT) of dry fuel in the financial year 2022-23 (FY23).
The Chairman-cum-Managing Director (CMD) of the SECL, Dr. Prem Sagar
Mishra has kicked off the initiative right on the first day of the
fiscal; propelling the team to meet the target. Mishra met the local
trade union representatives and members of the steering committee at
the SECL headquarters, seeking their succor to achieve the milestone.
The Gevra, Dipka and Kusmunda mega projects will share two thirds of
the total output of the SECL. While Gevra has been given a target of
52 MT, Kusmunda and Dipka plan to produce 45 MT and 38 MT
respectively. Endowed with rich reserves, the Mand-Raigarh coalfields
in Raigarh area have been given the goal of producing 15.5 MT of dry
fuel.
Of the annual plan envisaged, SECL eyes to produce 69 MT from the 21
opencast mines while 46 underground mines will share the remaining 13
MT.
The company also plans to develop three new projects during the
financial year that include Rampur Batura Opencast, Ambika Opencast
and Ketki Underground Mine. Ketki underground mine is the first
underground mine project approved by Coal India on MDO mode.
An outlay of Rs 5200 crore has been approved for the capital
expenditure in various sectors including infrastructure in the
financial year. It includes capital expenditure of Rs 1800 crore for
the development of rail corridor projects.
The company is developing First Mile Connectivity (FMC) projects in
its operational areas including its mega projects, through which coal
produced from the mine itself will be transported in an eco-friendly
manner and quickly to the consumers. For this, a rapid loading system
and silos are being effectively developed.
In the financial year ended 31 March 2022, the company dispatched
155.71 MT of coal to consumers amid the challenges of COVID pandemic,
which is the second largest dispatch data since the company’s
inception. It is about 17 MT (an increase of about 12 percent) more
than the previous financial year. SECL supplied 129.29 MT of coal to
the power sector that was also notable.
SECL recorded 142.51 MT production in the concluded financial year
amidst battling serious challenges inflicted by unpredictable monsoon
and the second wave of COVID. In a significant achievement, the
company has executed 196.88 Million Cubic Meter of Overburden (OB)
removal, registering a positive growth from last year that would
facilitate surging coal production this year. On February 28, SECL
removed the OB of about 8 lakh cubic meters so far in a day.
The company was successful in registering 142.51 MT production in the
last financial year even amidst the challenges of the unpredictable
monsoon and the second wave of Corona. In a significant achievement,
the Company has done 196.88 Million Cubic Meter of Overburden Removal,
registering a positive growth from last year, whose full benefit will
also be available in coal production this year.
On February 28, SECL removed about 8 lakh cubic meters of overburden,
the highest ever in a day. It will help the Kusmunda area to scale up
output.
Among the mega projects, Gevra area recorded the highest ever coal
dispatch of 44.98 MT, registering a growth of 18.72 percent over the
previous year while Dipka dispatched 36.90 MT with a growth of 24.33
percent. The company’s Bhatgaon and Johila areas met their coal
production and offtake targets while Korba area successfully achieved
the OBR target for the year 2021-22.
The Saraipali mine of Korba area, giving excellent results in its
first production year itself, succeeded in producing 1.4 MT of coal
for which it had received the environmental clearance.
In the year 2021-22, about Rs 180 crore were disbursed to the
land-displaced people as land compensation and 186 jobs were also
given. The company has also succeeded in acquiring over 600 hectares
of land by February 2022 of the last financial year.
In terms of environmental clearance, last year Gevra Opencast (49
MTPA), Amand OC (4 MTPA), Kanchan OC (2 MTPA) and Ambika OC (1 MTPA)
have received environment clearance while Dipka OC (133.7 ha) and
Ambika OC (6.2 ha) have also received forest clearance.
Under CSR, the company has made innovative efforts in the direction of
skill development of unemployed and underprivileged youth. Skill
development training will be imparted to 520 identified youth in
Raipur and Korba centers of Central Institute of Plastics Engineering
and Technology (C-PET). Of which, training has already started for 300
youths staying in the periphery of SECL projects.
Incorporating new technology, four silos have been commissioned under
the second phase of Kusmunda CHP last year. These are the projects of
first mine connectivity. 1000 TPH capacity semi mobile crushers have
been operated in Dipka, Gevra and Kusmunda mega projects, while a
total of 20 new departmental Tipper has also been commissioned.
SECL Board has given approval to employ 2 sets of Continuous Miner in
Charcha RO underground mine of Baikunthpur area and 1 set of
Continuous Miner in Rajgamar 6 and 7 underground mine of Korba area on
hiring basis.
The two rail corridor projects being undertaken by the two
subsidiaries of SECL have achieved important landmarks. These include
ferrying the first coal-laden rail rake from Gharghoda and
Dharamjaygarh stations of East Rail Corridor to power plants, opening
of Gharghoda-Bhalumada single line for operation.
In the new financial year 2022-23, the despatch target for SECL has
also been kept at 182 million tonnes, while the company has to remove
the OB of 280 million cubic meters.
In wake of SECL’s CMD Dr. Prem Sagar Mishra and the Board of Directors
to various project areas and discussions with the local core team to
prepare strategically, SECL is confident to achieve the mark.
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