SAMBALPUR: As many as 17,704 trees will be felled by NLC India Limited for coal mining at Talabira and Khinda villages under Rengali forest range in the district.The felling of trees began on Friday amid tight security. Ten platoons of police forces were deployed in the villages to check any untoward incident.
Sources said while 13,053 trees on forest land will be felled in Talabira, the PSU will cut down 3,589 trees on non-forest Government land in the village. Similarly, 1,026 trees will be felled in non-forest Government land of Khinda village.
Moreover, the Forest department has directed the PSU to transplant 2,700 trees, including 2,000 in Talabira forest and 700 in the village.NLC India will produce 20 million tonne of coal per annum from Talabira II and III coal blocks in Sambalpur and Jharsuguda districts to fuel its 4,200 MW thermal power projects. While NLC Talabira Thermal Power Project in Jharsuguda will generate 3,200 MW, NLC Tamil Nadu Power Limited in Tuticorin will produce 1,000 MW power.
Sambalpur Sadar Sub Collector Aniruddha Padhan said the felling of tree started from Talabira in the presence of villagers. No untoward incident took place during the felling of trees, he said.
