NTPC  is seeing inordinate delay in starting mining at Pakri-Barwadih coal block in Jharkhand state due to lack of support from the state government. NTPC is desperately seeking state government’s help in land acquisition and rehabilitation and resettlement. According to NTPC problem has compounded by the local MLAs who have been instigating project affected persons (PAPs) against land acquisition and mine opening. There are also reports of villagers damaging the machinery and manhandling the security people. According to NTPC slow distribution of land compensation by the district administration is one of the reasons for hostility in the region.

Pakri Barwadih_ProjectsMonitorNTPC is also faced with the problem of deployment of manpower by the Mine Developer cum Operator. While NTPC is of the opinion that the MDO should deploy the statutory manpower, the Directorate General of Mines Safety (DGMS) has not allowed statutory manpower deployment as proposed by the appointed MDO.

NTPC has awarded contract to develop and operate the green-field PakriBarwadih coal mine to Thiess Minecs India Private Limited, an SPV formed by Thiess India Private Limited (90%) and MinecsFinvest (10%). Thiess Minecs India Private Limited is the wholly owned subsidiary of Thiess Pty Ltd, an Australian company having wide experience in coal mining in Australia and Indonesia.

As per the original schedule mining should have been commenced at the site in January this year.


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