Plan For One Of World's Biggest Coal Mines Challenged In Chhattisgarh
NDTV
Rising power demand has pushed India to prioritize energy security and boost output of coal, which continues to account for about 70% of electricity generation.
Coal India Ltd. is holding talks with residents opposed to a mine expansion that would create one of the world's largest operations producing the fuel.
Protests against plans for the Gevra site in Chhattisgarh threaten to complicate the company's ability to win approvals to expand annual capacity to 70 million tons. Output at that volume would see the site become the single biggest global source of the fossil fuel, according to Coal India.
Rising power demand has pushed India to prioritize energy security and boost output of coal, which continues to account for about 70% of electricity generation.
Residents of the area close to Gevra have raised concerns over air pollution, the impact on groundwater levels and compensation for acquired land, said Deepak Sahu, joint secretary for Korba district - where the mine is located - at Chhattisgarh Kisan Sabha, a farmers' union in the state.
