Business Line reported that Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL) will open the technical and commercial bids from the prospective mine developer cum operators MDO for Tasra coal block on July 10.

Intending contract miners submitted their bids by June 19 for the 4 million tonnes a year project.

This is latest of SAIL’s several attempts to rope in an MDO for the coking coal block, which it obtained from BCCL in 1996.

The proposed open cast mine project includes setting up a pithead coal beneficiation plant, rehabilitation and resettlement of people from the site and setting up a 200-300 MW thermal power unit in a joint venture with SAIL.

The mine lease of Tasra block, including a part of contiguous Chasnalla block, in the Jharia coalfield of Jharkhand’s Dhanbad district covers 450 hectares. However, the proposed project needs surface rights for 900.59 hectare, of which SAIL has acquired 346.67 hectare. According to the bid document, the MDO will have to acquire 453.06 hectare privately occupied land as also rehabilitate and resettle some 3,500 families in the proposed project area.

Source - Business Line

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