New Delhi, Apr 3 (PTI) Fearing that mega projects on coal belts would sterile at least 20 billion tonnes of the dry-fuel reserves, the Coal Ministry has proposed forming an experts’ panel by June 30 that will suggest it how to check such a move.

“It is proposed to form an expert committee by June 30 to look into the issue and come out with recommendations by December 31 for consideration of the government,” said an official of Coal Ministry.

He added that the Joint Secretary, Coal would be entrusted with the task to review the formulation of the policy.

In January, the Centre had advised states not to build mega projects in coal-bearing areas, fearing that such a move would sterile at least 20 billion tonnes of fuel.

The country is already facing coal shortage and any such step could hamper production of 400 million tonnes per annum, further widening the demand-supply gap in the country, Coal Minister Mr Sriprakash Jaiswal had said.

The Coal Ministry is against giving approval to NTPC’s proposed 1,980-MW North Karanpura thermal power project in Jharkhand and has been pressing for relocation of the project, arguing that the site is situated above an estimated six billion tonnes of coal reserves.

The foundation stone for Rs 8,000 crore project in Chatra district of Jharkhand was laid in 2001 and it was planned to be implemented during the Eleventh Five-Year Plan (2007-12).

The ministry has also protested against other such projects, including a power plant at Korba and a sports complex at Mand-Raigarh, both of which are located in Chhattisgarh, a person privy to the development had said earlier.

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