BHUBANESWAR: The State Government has decided to develop a common railway corridor for transportation of coal in Angul, Chhendipada and Talcher belt.
This was decided at a high-level meeting, presided over by Chief Secretary Bijay Kumar Patnaik, here recently. As the common corridor will minimise land acquisition, the surplus land can be used for infrastructure development. Technical consultant RITES has been asked to prepare the alignment plan within a month.
The proposed alignments are Jarpada- Kasidih-Machakuta-New Patrapada-Nuagan-Telisahi and Kasidih-Mandakini coal block. This common corridor will support near about 10 blocks in Talcher coalfield. Similarly, it has also been decided to have such type of common corridor in Ib Valley coalfield. Chief Secretary asked IDCO to convene a meeting of the allottees of Ib Valley to draw up the plan.
The Chief Secretary also asked the Orissa State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB) to consult scientists and experts for examining different environmental issues relating to filling up of mining voids by fly ashes. It has also been decided that the land, available after technical reclamations, should be put to further treatment for biological reclamation. Patnaik advised to consult professional experts for best possible use of land which will be available after such reclamation.
Chairman-cum-Managing Director of IDCO Pradeep Kumar Jena, Secretary in the Steel and Mines Department Manoj Ahuja, Secretary in the Energy Department G Mathivathanan along with other senior officers participated in the discussions.