Deucha-Pachami surface mining to begin by Feb 1st wk
Times of India | 4 January 2025
12 Suri: Bengal govt has set a Feb first-week timeline to start surface mining of hard basalt rock at the Deucha-Pachami coal block in Birbhum.
Chief secretary Manoj Pant said: "This is our dream project. We had a meeting on Friday per the instructions of the chief minister. Mining on the upper part will start in the next 15-20 days. Tendering for underground mining will start by Feb. It is estimated that there are 2.1 billion metric tonnes of coal here. Once the project starts, there will be a lot of employment. Constructive discussions were held."
Pant, along with DGP Rajeev Kumar, reached the Birbhum project site on Friday and met officials.
Pant, speaking to reporters, said work would be started in 326 acres of acquired land in the first phase. "At first, we have to remove the overburden, and only after that, in consultation with technical experts, the exact process of coal mining will be selected," he added.
The chief secretary said though the project was identified as open-cast, they did not rule out the possibility of underground mining. "Preparation of the bidding process for underground mining is going on," he said.
Pant said Friday's meeting with representatives, stakeholders and district administration officials was successful. "The discussion was very positive. Everyone felt that the project was a great opportunity for local people; there was a very positive and constructive approach. Everyone is welcome to talk further," he said.
Pant and Kumar took a train to Bolpur. They then left for the Mohammad Bazar BDO office, where a high-level meeting was held. Birbhum district magistrate Bidhan Roy, deputy speaker Ashis Banerjee, West Bengal Power Development Corporation chairman & MD P B Salim and local administration officials were present. After that, a meeting was held with local tribal leaders.
The urgent intervention followed CM Mamata Banerjee's sharp criticism during an administrative review meeting at Nabanna on Thursday. "Why is there so much sand smuggling in Birbhum? What is happening in Deucha-Pachami? We were initially happy with Birbhum, but not now. Why is there no continuity in acquiring Deucha land? Take the help of the committee that was initially helping you. Funds from Birbhum are going to BJP. There is no disturbance from our side. I do not want any political funds to be filled from here. What are Dubrajpur, Mohammad Bazar and Suri ICs doing? I am giving you seven days to sort this out," Banerjee told the DM.
The Deucha-Pachami coal project has faced persistent challenges from tribal organizations opposing land acquisition. Claims have emerged that promises of employment and other commitments to land donors remain unfulfilled.