Sambalpur: After becoming the first Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd (MCL) coal mine to achieve its targeted coal production for FY22 before the end of the financial year, Kulda opencast project (OCP) is now awaiting environmental clearance to ramp up production, along with Garjanbahal OCP. In a statement released on Tuesday, MCL said, "The Kulda opencast project (OCP) of Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL) in the western district of Sundergarh has become the first coal mine of MCL to achieve its targeted 16 million tonne (MT) dry fuel production for financial year 2021-22."
MCL Chairman-cum-Managing Director (CMD) OP Singh has congratulated the Team Kulda OCP of Basundhara Area for successfully achieving the production target of 16 MT set for the current fiscal. "Kulda OCP has been very consistent in performance during the current financial year 2021-22. I congratulate Area General Manager Basundhara, the Project Officer and each member of his Team Kulda for their excellent performance," said Singh.
The Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) has recommended increasing the production capacity of 16.8 MTY for Kulda OCP and 13 MTY for Garjanbahal OCP of Basundhara Area to 19.6 MTY and 15.6 MTY, respectively. Garjanbahal OCP is also nearing its annual coal production target.
In view of the current coal demand, the early environment clearance (EC) to increase production from Kulda OCP & Garjanbahal OCP will enable Basundhara Area to contribute 5.4 MT more coal during the current fiscal, said MCL as it awaits a green nod from the Centre.
Despite restrictions due to COVID-19 pandemic and prolonged rainy season, MCL had been successful in recording a double-digit growth in all the major parameters of coal production, despatch and overburden (OB) removal, said the PSU.
As on date, MCL has produced 146.4 MT coal, registering a growth of over 15 percent as against the same period last fiscal. And it has despatched over 157 MT dry fuel to consumers, which is 18 percent up from the last financial year 2020-21. The company has also registered a record growth of 22 percent over the last fiscal in OB removal, which stands at 182.5 MCuM as on February 21.
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