NEW DELHI: State-owned CoalIndiahas directed its subsidiaries to enter into fuel supply pacts with power units that are coming up between January 2012 and March 2015, bringing a respite to fuel-starved power companies. The development comes in the wake of the coal ministry, last month, directing the public sector company to enter into pacts with power units which will be commissioned during the period.
“Last week, Coal India (CIL) wrote to its subsidiaries asking them to enter into fuel supply agreements (FSAs) with power units to be commissioning between January 1, 2012 and March 31, 2015,” a source close to the development said. CoalIndiahas nine subsidiaries, including Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd and Eastern Coalfields Ltd. Earlier, the media had reported that CIL will seek advice from Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) through the Coal Ministry on how to go about signing FSAs with power plants for three years. The PMO had asked CIL to sign FSAs with plants that have come up after April, 2009 and will be set up till March, 2015 by March 2012.
A Presidential directive was issued to CoalIndiato enter into fuel supply pacts with power plants commissioned between April 2009 and December 2011. The directive, however, did not mention anything about plants that came after January 2012.
Till last week, the PSU entered into FSA with 14 firms, including Reliance Power’s Rosa Power project, Lanco Anpara Power and Bajaj Hindustan. In April, the Coal Ministry had issued a directive to CIL to commit a minimum of 80% of fuel supply to power producers, failing which it would attract penalty.
POWERMIN FOCUSES ON SUPER-CRITICAL TECHNOLOGY AS FUTURE MAINSTAY
NEW DELHI: After succeeding in generating power beyond the set targets in the last few years, the Power Ministry is eying supercritical technology as next mainstay to ensure greater efficiency in coal fired plants.
The Ministry is in the process of considering 14 super-critical power projects in the country to lessen the coal usage while producing power amid a host of other advantages of the technology.
“We are currently considering 14 such projects all over the country to make sure that the dependence on the coal for such projects in minimal, the supercritical technology for sure is the next focus for the electricity generation.” a Power Ministry official said.
The official however, refused to divulge further details on the capacity and the cost involved.
Union Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde also had recently said that super critical technology is the next focus for use in power plants in the country.
“Henceforth, only supercritical technology will be used in the coal fired power projects so as to reduce pollution that occurs while producing electricity,” he said.
Supercritical power plants require less coal per megawatt-hour, leading to lower emissions, higher efficiency and lower fuel costs. Majority of the power plants in the country are coal fired.
The Government in 2008 had conceptualised a supercritical power programme on the lines of theUS,Japan,Germany,KoreaandRussia. According to the Power Ministry the technology will result in saving of about 4 per cent of fuel and correspondingly less emission.
India’s largest power producer NTPC had commissioned its first supercritical technology based unit at Sipat in Chhattisgarh in 2011.
The Ultra Mega Power Projects are also being envisaged to be set up with supercritical parameters. Amongst the private sector players, Adani Power is the first company to synchronize the first supercritical thermal power unit of 660 MW at Mundra in December 2010.
RECORD INCREASE IN POWER CAPACITY IN 11TH PLAN, SAYS UNION POWER MINISTER
MUMBAI: The total installed power generation capacity of the country has crossed two lakh megawatts (MW), with a record capacity addition of 54,964 MW in the 11th plan (2007-12). This is about two-and-a-half times the capacity added in the 10th plan. Sushilkumar Shinde, union power minister said this on Saturday, while speaking at the ceremony held to flag off civil work on the main plant of the National Thermal Power Corporation’s (NTPC) Solapur Super thermal Power project (2x660MW). The state will also get a significant share of electricity from this plant.
Shinde dedicated the Solapur Power and Industrial Training Institute (SPITI) to the nation on the occasion. The SPITI will be a state-of-the-art training institute with workshops for welding, electrician, instrument mechanic trades, computer lab, and drawing hall. The institute will enhance the quality of vocational education in the area and ensure better employability of local youth.
KC Venugopal, union minister of state for power and Arup Roy Choudhury, NTPC chief, were also present.
NTPC isIndia’s largest power utility that plays a major role in meeting the power needs of the country. The present installed capacity of NTPC is 38,014 MW.
POWER MINISTER SUSHILKUMAR SHINDE TO MEET STATE REGULATORS TOMORROW
NEW DELHI: Power minister Sushilkumar Shinde will meet state electricity regulators on Tuesday to discuss measured required to minimise time taken in judicial proceedings. The Appellate Tribunal for Electricity has convened a meeting with chairman and members of central and state electricity regulatory commissions and about sixty electricity regulators from different parts are expected to attend, an official statement said.
The meeting will focus on challenges before the electricity regulators and tariff related issues in view of poor financial condition of distribution companies. The meeting would deliberate upon making investments in infrastructure and smooth functioning of consumer grievance redressal mechanism. “The conference will provide an opportunity to the members of the tribunal and the electricity regulatory commissions to have face to face interaction and exchange views to improve delivery of justice to the parties,” the statement said.
Appellate Tribunal for Electricity was constituted in 2005 under the Electricity Act 2003 to hear the appeals against orders of central and state and electricity regulatory commissions. The tribunal has supervisory powers to issue directions to the regulatory commission over several issues.
In November 2011, the tribunal had directed state regulatory commissions for timely determination of retail tariffs of distribution companies every year. It was also decided that in case a distribution company does not file tariff petition in time, the state regulatory commission should initiate the proceedings.
POWER GENERATION CAPACITY TO BE INCREASED BY 1800 MW THIS YEAR
BHOPAL: Concrete steps are being taken continuously for increasing power generation in Madhya Pradesh. The MoUs signed for generation of power in the private sector have started yielding results. A coal-based private sector thermal power plant in Narsinghpur district has started commercial generation of 45 megawatt power from April this year. It is supplying power to the state. Besides, various projects will be completed in phases till the year 2012-13 through which additional power generation capacity of 1800 MW power will be created.
One 1200 MW capacity unit of Shri Singaji thermal power extension plant will start generation from March 2013. It will provided 600 MW power to the state.
Similarly, 250 MW unit No. 10 of 2×250 MW Satpura thermal power extension plant will start generation from December 2012. It will provide 250 MW power.
The second unit of first phase of 3×600 MW of Seepat thermal power station of NTPC has been started from May 2012 and the third unit will start functioning from August 2012.
The state will receive 94 MW power from the second unit and 95 MW from the third one.
The first unit of NTPC with 1000 MW capacity at Moda,Nagpurhas been started from May 2012. The second unit will start functioning from September 2012. Both the units will supply 71.5 MW each power to Madhya Pradesh. The Unit-1 and 2 of DBC Durgapur will start functioning in June and December 2012. The state will receive 50 MW each power from both the units.
The first and second units of private sector Messrs Jaiprakash’s Bina-based project will start functioning from July and December 2012 respectively.
Each will supply 175 MW power to the state in the year 2012-13. The 45 MW second unit of Messrs BLA Power Company, supplying 16 MW power to the state. Besides, 120 MW power will also be received from non-conventional energy sources.
Generation has started in the first unit of 45 MW power plant set up by Messrs BLA Power Private Limited at village Niwari in Gadarwara tahsil of Narsinghpur district. Three units of 45 MW each are to be set up over there.
As per agreement singed for this project, Madhya Pradesh Power Tradeco will receive 16 MW power from each unit.
It may be mentioned that an MoU was signed in the presence of Chief Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan for establishment of private sector plant at Niwari on August 10, 2007 between Messrs BLA Power Private Limited and the State Government.
Later, the State Government and the company had signed an implementation letter on September 1, 2008.
PM TO REVIEW INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT TOMORROW
NEW DELHI: The Prime Minister has summoned the Ministers in charge of key infrastructure and economic portfolios to a meeting on Wednesday, to review infrastructure development. Some important policy decisions are expected after the meeting.
A highly placed Government source said the meeting is likely to discuss issues affecting the progress of key infrastructure sectors and the way ahead. The Ministers in charge of Finance, Power, Oil, Coal, Road and Aviation, besides the Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission, are expected to attend.
Although Government officials refused to disclose what key policy decisions are likely to be considered, it is believed the meeting will focus on the reasons for delays in projects and feedstock issues for ongoing and completed projects.
If the power sector is facing a shortage of coal and gas, the Coal Ministry is grappling with issues related to environmental clearances. Almost all the core industries have been hit by shortage of important feedstock such as natural gas because of the fall in gas production in the KG-D6 block.
Another key concern is funding. Almost all the industries have complained that the cost of domestic funds is too high and external assistance hard to get. Keeping this in mind, the Government is likely to advise the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to take the necessary steps to reduce the cost of funds. The RBI is slated to review monetary policy on June 18.
Meanwhile, the source claimed that the Investment Tracking System is all set to be implemented. The idea to set up such a mechanism first came up at the last meeting of the Prime Minister’s Council on Trade and Industry, in December.
At that meeting, the Prime Minister had stated that major projects would be specially monitored, to take them forward on a fast track and provide a fresh impetus to the economy. This was in the context of delays faced by projects on multiple fronts — security, environmental and other clearances, land-related issues, and so on.
The meeting will be held in the backdrop of the disappointing performance of the key infrastructure sector. The growth rate of eight core industries (which have a combined weight of 37.90 per cent in the Index of Industrial Production), had fallen to 2.2 per cent in April.
ENERGY EFFICIENCY MAY SAVE THERMAL POWER STATIONS RS 3,000 CR IN 3 YEARS
NEW DELHI: As many as 144 thermal power stations across the country will be able to save Rs 3,000 crore in three years by being energy efficient and save on coal consumption as well. Under its PAT (Perform, Achieve and Trade) scheme, Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) has notified these thermal power stations a target figure for fuel consumption reduction, which will make them energy efficient by March 2015.
“One-fourth of our power capacity needs to be upgraded to be able to ensure that this target is met,” said Ajay Mathur, director-general, BEE. The proposed target in the PAT scheme is around 3.2 million tonnes of oil equivalent which roughly translates into 6 million tonnes of coal required to produce electricity.
The implementation period for PAT cycle is three years, from April 2012 to March 2015. After completion of the first commitment period, the savings will be on an annual basis.
“Around 25% of the current installed thermal power capacity needs special attention as they are completely energy-inefficient,” said Mathur. The current installed thermal power capacity is around 1 lakh mw. BEE calculates the efficiency of a thermal power plant on the basis of the design value of individual power stations. “On this basis, the target for their fuel consumption reduction has been worked out. The efficient plants have fewer targets whereas plants operating far away from the designed value has higher target,” said Mathur.
Over achievement by a power station will be converted into tradable ‘Energy Savings Certificate’ at the end of a targeted year, which it can sell to the ones who couldn’t achieve the targets. These savings though will not directly reflect in the bill of consumers for now, but subsequently with less consumption of coal, BEE expects that cost of power will drop.
NTPC SETS UP POWER TRAINING INSTITUTE AT SOLAPUR
PUNE: The Solapur Power & Industrial Training Institute (SPITI) set up by NTPC in collaboration with NPTI has become operational.
Built at a cost of Rs37 crore, the Institute at Fatatewadi is adjacent to NTPC’s Rs 9395 crore, 1320 MW capacity Solapur Super Thermal Power project that will be commissioned in 2016-17.
SPITI has a capacity to train 600 students in 3 ITI courses of Welder, Fitter & Electrician, while trades of Wireman, Instrument mechanic & computer operator are to be added soon. Courses for power sector specialities such as High Pressure Welding are also offered. The institute’s infrastructure includes 12 furnished classrooms, library, computer centre, drafting hall, eight workshops with necessary tools, office, canteen and sports complex. An auditorium is also being constructed.
Work on the residential complex and a hostel for students has begun.
POWER FINANCE CORP DEFERS PLAN TO RAISE $1 BILLION
NEW DELHI: Power Finance Corporation Ltd (PFC) has deferred its plan to raise $1 billion through overseas Medium-Term Note (MTN) till second quarter of this fiscal.
PFC may consider splitting $1 billion MTN issue into two parts of $500 million each. “PFC is looking to issue MTN for the first time. So, we are carefully looking at market conditions and company’s fund requirement,” Mr Satnam Singh, Chairman and Managing Director of PFC told Business Line.
MTN is issued by a company to raise cheaper debts with maturity of five to 10 years. Generally, coupon rate of a MTN is higher than other fixed income maturity bonds that helps the company to attract investors. MTN also allows a company to register with a stock exchange, but only once.
“Today, it is expensive (MTN). The fully hedged cost of MTN is 1-1.5 per cent higher than funds raised from domestic market,” he said. The fully-hedged cost of the MTN includes actual borrowing plus principal swap cost and interest rate.
Earlier, PFC was targeting to launch MTN in the first quarter and register it on theSingaporebourse. In 2012-13, PFC targets to sanction Rs 45,000 crore and disburse Rs 43,000 crore, while mobilise resources worth Rs 40,500 crore.
PFC would start road shows for $ 250 million external commercial borrowings on June 6. The loan will have three-year tenure.
“Road shows would be held inTaipei,SingaporeandLondon,” Mr Singh said. This would be part of Rs 40,000 crore borrowings PFC is targeting in 2012-13. The Finance Minister Mr Pranab Mukherjee in his last Budget reduced withholding tax on interest payments on foreign borrowings for power companies. It has opened new window for power sector financers to scout for cheaper loans outsideIndia.
BHUSHAN POWER & STEEL, ESSAR STEEL & OTHERS FORCED TO IMPORT IRON ORE DUE TO FALLING DOMESTIC SUPPLY
NEW DELHI: An ore carrier atParadipPortis not considered an uncommon sight. Odisha is, after all, one of the country’s biggest producers and exporters of iron ore – the critical input for making steel.
But ‘Dimi’, a supramax vessel berthed at Paradip till Sunday evening, was not like any other ore carrier. The ore it carried was from Vale inBraziland meant for Bhushan Steel’s plant in the eastern state, which accounts for a third of the country’s iron-ore output. “Selling iron to Odisha is akin to selling ice to Eskimos. Iron-ore imports on the eastern coast were unheard of yet,” says the amusedIndiahead of one of the world’s largest miners.
Faced with dwindling supplies and a country-wide clampdown on ore production due to illegal mining, steel companies are doing the unthinkable – importing iron ore to feed their plants. The imports, a trickle now, but which experts warn could easily turn into a torrent, threaten to increaseIndia’s dependence on overseas supplies of crucial mineral resources it owns in abundance.
Like coal, which is imported in vast quantities by power companies, the slow rise in imports of iron ore could erode the competitiveness of steel companies, and leave them at the mercy of wild swings in international prices and supply disruptions.
We are foreseeing a couple of years whenIndiawould be importing iron ore – it may not necessarily become a net importer though,” said Prakash Duvvuri, senior analyst at Oreteam, a New Delhi-based mining consultancy firm.
Shipping industry and port officials in Paradip say another 150,000 tonnes of ore imports are expected soon to feed the state’s ravenous steel mills. They, however, couldn’t confirm the name of the buyer.
Bhushan Power & Steel, run by Sanjay Singhal, elder brother of Neeraj Singhal, who runs Bhushan Steel, has also been importing pellets fromBahrainandUkraine. The unlisted firm is building a 2.3-million-tonne steel plant in Odisha. “The shortage of iron ore supplies in Odisha has forced us to import,” rues Singhal.
Essar Steel, another steelmaker feeling the brunt of an acute shortage of the critical ferrous input, has been importing ore for the past few months, but on the western coast.
South African andBahrainores have been used to feed the company’s facility at Hazira inGujarat. “We have been importing iron ore for the past couple of months, but will be stopping now.
The depreciation of the rupee no longer makes it viable, although international iron ore prices are coming down,” Essar Steel CEO Dilip Oomen said.
Essar’s 8-million-tonne pellet plant inVisakhapatnamwas fed by a slurry pipeline from NMDC’s Chhattisgarh mine. That has run dry after being damaged in a Naxal attack last October, and some iron ore is now being supplied through rakes.
CORPORATE INDIA REMAINS HOT ON CLIMATE CHANGE
NEW DELHI: If you thought that interest in climate change has tapered off, think again. Companies inIndiahave increasingly become aware of the impact of climate change, environmental and social factors on their businesses and have taken action on critical environmental challenges like green house gas (GHG) emissions, water use and waste management. The efforts on managing GHG emissions and energy use are starting to show results, according to the fourth edition of the FE-EVI Green Business Survey. Overall, GHG intensities have decreased at an annual rate of 3%. The growth rate of absolute emissions has declined from 4.11% last year to 3.7% this year.
The FE-EVI Green Business Survey & Leadership Awards is an initiative launched by The Financial Express, a business daily from The Express Group, and Emergent Ventures, a carbon consultancy, to map the greening of corporateIndiaand to felicitate green leaders. The Green Business Awards aims to recognise businesses and organisations inIndiawhich successfully operate with environmentally sustainable practices. The awards will be presented by corporate affairs minister Veerappa Moily at a function in the capital on Tuesday.
The fourth edition of the FE-EVI Green Business Survey comes at a very critical juncture, close to the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, which will be held in Rio de Janerio mid-June to specifically agree by 2015 to a set of sustainable development goals. At the FE-EVI Green Business Survey & Leadership Awards ceremony, the theme for the panel discussion is ‘Will Rio bring some light at the end of the tunnel?’ Notable participants like Development Alternatives founder Ashok Khosla, Tata BP Solar ex-CEO K Subramanya, among others, are expected to discuss this topic in industry circles.
As per the Green Business Survey, in the realm of natural resources management 42% of the companies are measuring and managing their water use. As a result, water use intensities have gone down by 4.8% annually. Water consumption growth has declined to 1.2% from 2.39% last year. The survey shows that 14% of the boards are focusing their energies on setting up sustainability departments within their organisational structures, whereas 10% are focusing on developing sustainability policies. As much as 11% of the companies are focusing their efforts on improving the sustainability aspects on their supply chain.
Over the last four years, the FE-EVI report has tracked the evolution of corporateIndia’s sustainability initiatives. It has seen companies become aware of the impact of climate change. Certain sectors like cement have emerged as leaders in reducing their environmental impact. In the process, their operations have become benchmarks for the global cement industry. On the other hand, sectors like power – especially thermal power – have not taken environmental footprint mitigation with this seriousness. As a result, many power plants are facing fuel shortages, inefficient operations and friction from local communities who live around their power plants.
OPG POWER TO INVEST RS 3K CR IN TAMIL NADU, GUJARAT
CHENNAI/MUMBAI:LondonStock Exchange-listed OPG Power Ventures is planning to increase its power capacity to 750 megawatt (Mw) from the current 112 Mw. The company will set up three new power plants — an 80-Mw and a 160-Mw power plants in Chennai and a 300-Mw power plant in Kutch,Gujarat.
The AIM-listed company will invest Rs 3,000 crore, which is funded 30 per cent from equity and the remaining from debt. The company has already raised debt of around Rs 2,100 crore from a consortium of nine banks.
This investment comes at a time when many power sector companies are freezing their plans for incremental investments. GMR, Tata Power, GVK and Adani Power said they would go slow on newer investments. Lack of domestic coal and higher price of international coal, besides slower pace of land acquisition and approvals, have hindered their expansion plans.
However, OPG is not facing these issues. The company has decided to use imported coal to operate its power plants. “Our power plants are designed to use domestic coal as well as high-moisture Indonesian coal,” said OPG Power Ventures CEO Arvind Gupta.
Gupta said the cost would also be lower, as high-moisture coal is available at competitive prices compared to high-grade coal. The company’s coal cost comes up to as much as Rs 3 per unit. The company has all its land and approvals in place. And, two of the three power plants being set up are brownfield projects.
The company’s new power projects are all coal-based and will start generating power by 2014. These are being set up near ports, which will give the company advantage and flexibility to use both domestic and imported coal.
OPG follows a group captive model where power is sold to industrial and commercial groups. It has already signed power sale agreements with around 30 units. “These are from various sectors such as textiles, steel and IT companies,” said Gupta.
Currently, OPG has existing operating capacity of 112 Mw, generated by its three power plants. Located in Tamil Nadu andGujarat, these plants are one coal-fired, one gas-fired and the third a waste heat recovery one. This capacity is being expanded by an additional unit of 77 Mw, which will start generating power shortly.
OPG sources its equipment from state-owned Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd and Ansaldo Boilers.
INDIA NEEDS MIX OF GREEN & TRADITIONAL POWER SOURCES: J.P. CHALASANI, RELIANCE POWER
Recently, Reliance Power commissionedIndia’s largest solar power plant in Pokharan, close to the western periphery of Rajasthan. We felt justifiably proud.
It has displaced over 70,000 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually, which is roughly the equivalent of taking 25,000 cars off the road. And yet, for me, the thought that a 40 MW solar plant represented no more than a drop in the ocean was inescapable.
Today,Indiafinds itself at the crossroads, grappling with the energy security-sustainable development conundrum. So, can rapid economic growth and sustainable, more inclusive, development be achieved in tandem?
As a concerned and responsible organisation, we pause and ponder once again about what we can do to recalibrate and escalate efforts towards ensuring that we can answer that question in the affirmative.
That over one-third ofIndia’s rural population has no access to electricity must surely be a sobering thought for those of us who feel proud that we are a fast emerging global economy.
Indianeeds to substantially bridge the gap between demand and supply of electricity for sustained economic growth and to kindle hope in the lives of its people. To bring light into the lives of those many people we need all sources of power that we can get access to.
I believe diversified fuel sources and new technologies will, in the years ahead, come toIndia’s rescue and help us strike a balance between our growth imperatives and sustainability. To begin with, in the energy mix inIndia, as in the case of other fast growing economies, coal continues, and will continue to, play a crucial role.
InIndia, coal accounts for more than 70 per cent of the country’s electricity generation. Of the 54,000 megawatts of power capacity added between 2007 and 2012 inIndia, over 70 per cent was coal-based. While coal-fired power generation is perceived as a major factor in carbon dioxide emissions leading to global warming, the use of advanced technology in recent times is rapidly changing that scenario.
Supercritical steam power plants notably meet the requirements for high efficiencies to reduce both fuel costs and CO2 emissions. The 11th five year plan saw the commissioning of the first few supercritical power units inIndia.
I am sure, this trend will continue in the 12th plan with many more supercritical units being commissioned including those from Ultra Mega Power Projects ( UMPPs).
The impact of greener supercritical technology in coal-fired power generation is also important because coal will remain the mainstay of power generation in the foreseeable future.
Coal mining is in itself not a carbon emitting activity and is only a temporary use of land. It is vital that rehabilitation of land takes place once mining operations have stopped. A detailed rehabilitation or reclamation plan is designed and approved for each coal mine, covering the period from the start of operations until well after mining has finished.
Mine reclamation activities are undertaken gradually – with the shaping and contouring of spoil piles, replacement of topsoil, seeding with grasses and planting of trees taking place on the mined-out areas.
Care should also be taken to relocate, among others, streams and wildlife. Effective steps are now being taken in modern mining operations to minimise any adverse environmental impact.
Recent reports in the British press that the European Union is set to accept energy generated from natural gas as a clean, green source of power is another encouraging development for power producers like us.
Indeed, I am of the view natural gas can contribute significantly to the transformation of the Indian energy system with much lower emissions, and its suitability to the varying electricity load requirements.
It is time our regulators consider mandatory procurement of gas based power as a portion of total power purchased by the distribution companies similar to the Renewable Purchase Obligations (RPO).
In addition to coal and natural gas,India’s large hydro power potential needs to be tapped to ensure a perennial source of clean and renewable energy. I believe hydro projects can be the answer to cost effective and green source of electricity generation for our country. In addition, it can prove to be the harbinger of development in some hill states, such as Arunachal Pradesh.
While wind continues to be the dominant source of power generation among the non-convention sources, solar energy is catching up fast with reduced tariffs and other advantages such as higher predictability of generation, its potential inIndiaand the government’s initiatives such as the National Solar Mission.
On the World Environment Day, I would say new technologies and diversified fuel sources are sowing the seeds of success in the monumental task that facesIndiaas it tries to bridge the yawning gap between its power generation capacity and the ever-growing demand for affordable electricity.
We at Reliance Power with our diversified portfolio of coal, gas, hydro, wind and solar projects will continue to lead the efforts towards a greener future forIndia’s future generations.
ANDHRA POWER PLANT GETS STUCK IN A MARSHY WETLAND
SOMPETA (SRIKAKULAM): The sun beats down on Sandhi Kamaraju as he stands with other villagers in the lush paddy field. They all belong to poor families owning one or half-an-acre of land. “It’s our only source of livelihood. Don’t take our land for a power plant,” the farmer from Rushikudda village pleads.
It’s the same story village aftervillageofSompeta Mandal—Baruva, Gollagandi, Rushikudda, Isakalapalem, Jinkibhadra, Kuttuma and Manikyapuram. Two people were killed in police firing in the mandal on July 14, 2010, when an anti-thermal power plant stir turned violent. Following the stir, the environment ministry suspended the plant’s environmental clearance on July 15, 2010.
Recently, the National Green Tribunal accepted the apex environment body’s (NEAA) recommendation that the location of the thermal plant in question is a wetland and not for commercial use. This was a fillip to the Paryavarana Parirakshana Samithi (PPS), spearheading the agitation against the 2,640-MW coal-based power plant proposed by Nagarjuna Construction Company (NCC).
The NEAA said the wetland is of great ecological value and an important source of water for several villages. Beela, as it is known, is also the last surviving wetland in coastal Andhra. PPS contends that the proposed project would not only affect irrigation schemes, but also deprive poor farmers and fisherfolk of their livelihood.
Wetland expertS Kaulhas also faulted the alienation of 973 acres of government land for transfer to NCC. “The government showed fertile land as banjaru (barren land) to benefit the company at the cost of fishermen and farmers,” PPS president Y K Murthy says. People had expressed resentment against the plant in the very first public hearing in 2008.
Beela is a 4,000-acre water body, home to rich marine life and migratory birds. It supports nearly 5,000 acres of paddy and coconut. Nearly 2 lakh people depend on it.
Revenue records classify the land as a swamp. But project developers claim it as wasteland. NCC’s project cost is Rs 12,000cr and the power plant is one of six sanctioned in Srikakulam district. All of these are located close to the coast and railway tracks to transport coal. But fishermen worry that effluents from the power plant will kill marine life that is the livelihood of thousands of families. Donnu Behera, head of a fishermen’s association, says they want nothing short of scrapping of the NCC plant.
Ichapuram’s TDP MLA P Sairaj says the six power plants are part of plans to develop a thermal corridor. “People are ready to support pollution-free industry, but not a project that jeopardizes their livelihood,” he reasons.
WHY TALK OF N-PLANT WHEN WE CAN RELY ON GAS-BASED PROJECTS: SUNITA NARAIN
Would you like a cola and some chips,” we asked. To her credit,Sunita Narain,India’s best known environmental activist and a leading campaigner against junk food, laughed out loud. “The only thing I have in office is filtered ground water,” said Narain, director, Centre for Science and Environment. “And do you test that?” we asked. “Oh yes,” she replied. “In our office, we put the sewage back in the ground. So we make sure to test our water regularly.”
Narain was in the TOI office to discuss the World Environment Day issue, of which she was Guest Editor. “I’m usually sceptical about such days,” she said. “I think some of the worst polluters celebrate it most enthusiastically. There is just too much tokenism. As far as I’m concerned, every day should be treated as World Environment Day.”
But she plunged into the discussion with gusto, returning often to the link between water and sewage. “It’s my grand obsession. I constantly ask people the same two questions: ‘Where does your water come from, and where does your excreta go’?” she chuckled. The answer, invariably, is ‘we don’t know’.
That would be amusing, except that it shows up a serious lack of vision in the way cities are planned inIndia. “Look at all this frantic development. No one has figured out where the water is going to come from, where the sewage is going to be put,” she pointed out.
InHyderabad, there is no water in swanky colonies like Banjara Hills because the development happened on the catchment area of the lake. So they have to get water from as far off as theKrishnariver. Half the water is lost in transportation,” pointed out Guest Editor Sunita Narain. The subject fascinated us enough to take a focused look at six cities. Narain said that Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) had done a book on the issue, which we could use for initial research. But in true Editor mode, she was quick to add, “But make sure to visit the areas and verify the data independently.” We did.
We also dared her to headline the page, “Cities in deep shit”. She laughed, but refused to take the bait. “I’ve just been brought up to write in a very traditional style,” she said.
Did she have any story ideas, we asked. “I keep travelling from one protest site to another,” she said. “And it’s really struck me how so many of them are motivated by the concept of NIMBY (Not In My Backyard). As awareness about rights grows, people want development, but they don’t want the dirty back-end of development to be in their backyards. We could look at various protests acrossIndiaand how so many of them are motivated by NIMBY. Of course, we will need a small introductory piece.” A brief discussion followed on who should write the holding piece, which she settled with a crisp “I can do it,” — a reminder, if any was needed, that she’s also a prolific writer on green issues.
As the meeting wound to a close, she mentioned that she would be leaving town for a few weeks and would — for the first time in many years — be without her laptop. “Going on pilgrimage?” someone joked.
“No, but isn’t it amazing how most ofIndia’s revered pilgrimage spots are in ecologically fragile zones?” she retorted. That observation promptly led us to do one more report.
Narain was back a few days later, raring to go. She worked through the weekend, clearing reports as they came in, and stepped into the TOI office on June 4. The pages were brought out for her to inspect. She read them carefully, asked for a few changes. And graciously sought — and incorporated — feedback on her own articles.
In passing, the subject on gas-powered plants came up. It’s a subject she feels strongly about. “People talk so much about a nuclear policy but what about gas? It’s much easier to install than nuclear technology and comes with far lesser baggage, but no one seems to care about it. Do you know there are at least three power plants inDelhithat aren’t functioning because they aren’t getting gas? And then people have to suffer power cuts?” Our ears perked up at that — and it promptly turned into another report. As we discovered over these interactions, when you’re chatting withIndia’s foremost eco warrior, there’s no such thing as small talk.
People talk so much about a nuclear policy but what about gas? It’s much easier to install than nuclear technology and comes with far lesser baggage, but no one seems to care about it.
POWER EXCHANGES BEGIN TRADING OF SOLAR ENERGY CERTIFICATES
HYDERABAD: Power trading exchanges Indian Energy Exchange (IEX) and Power Exchange India Ltd. (PXIL) commenced trading of solar Renewable Energy Certificates.
This comes in the backdrop of keen interest within the power sector as it opens new revenue source apart from sale of energy generated.
The trading of these certificates makes it easy for several entities that may be required to purchase a certain quantum in either green power or RECs.
M and B Switchgears Ltd has become the first solar power producer inIndiato be issued 249 Solar RECs by the National Load Dispatch Centre inNew Delhi.
These certificates are tradable on the power exchanges and are bought by ‘obligated entities’ which are either specified consumers or electricity distribution companies under the Renewable Purchase Obligation.
The Electricity Act 2003 mandates the State to specify a percentage of the total consumption of electricity in the area of distribution licensee for purchase of electricity from renewable sources as a part of this renewable purchase obligation.
The trading of solar RECs on power trading exchanges opens a source of revenue generation for solar power producers apart from third party sale of power through Open Access.
Mr Vikalp Mundra, Director, M and B Switchgears Ltd, in a statement said, “The company is expected to generate close to 3,200 RECs in 2012-13. For M and B Switchgears this is expected to yield additional revenue of approximately Rs 4 crore”.
The REC mechanism has been promoted by the Ministry of New and Renewal energy (MNRE) to encourage non-conventional energy sources.
INDIA INC WANTS POLICY SUPPORT TO BET ON WIND, SOLAR ENERGY
NEW DELHI: India’s green energy initiatives, which aim to boost solar power capacity to 20,000 mw in a decade, and expand windmills, have made rapid progress but entrepreneurs want supportive policies to sustain growth.
Indiaaims to meet 15% of its power needs, or 80,000 mw, from renewable sources by 2020, with an investment of Rs 1.5 lakh crore. This has boosted investment in the sector by 54% in just one year, and solar power capacity has leaped to 905 megawatts from a negligible 8 mw three years ago, makingIndiaone of the top 10 global destinations for investments.
“The sector is highly optimistic. Between the national solar mission projects and the state sponsored projects, the total demand is more than 1 gw over the next year,” said Rajiv Arya, CEO of Moser Baer Solar.
Solar power rates have plunged to Rs 7.49 per unit. “From a sector that was almost non-existent in 2008, today has over 400 companies bidding for power projects across the country,” said Inderpreet Wadhwa, CEO of Azure Power.
But several concerns lurk behind the phenomenal growth. Solar firms want anti-dumping duties, saying that foreign frims are selling equipment at ridiculously low prices.
“There are problems with regard to financing and fund availability. There is a lack of robust policy to support capacity utilisation,” said S. Venkatramani, general secretary, Indian solar manufacturer’s association. The government plans to help.
“Efficiency of the local industry needs to be upgraded and we may come up with a scheme to support their funding which will help them compete with the global technology,” said Tarun Kapoor, joint secretary, in the renewable energy ministry.
Wind energy has also expanded, makingIndiaone of the world leaders in the sector. “There is no doubt that the wind market is set to maintain its strong growth trajectory,” said Chintan Shah – Head, Strategic Business Development at Suzlon Energy.
The sector is craving for the accelerated depreciation scheme, that was terminated in March, but optimism remains.
INDIA‘S FLEDGLING SOLAR-EQUIPMENT INDUSTRY UNDER CHINESE ONSLAUGHT
Even as it had barely risen, the Indian solar-equipment sector has been eclipsed. S Venkataramani, who heads a grouping of 22 companies that account for 80% of India’s solar-equipment capacity, counts the damages for those who make photovoltaic (PV) cells- the lifeline of a solar panel.
“Most PV makers are manufacturing at 10-15% of their optimum capacity, that too on and off, because there is no demand. Engineers are looking out for jobs in other sectors,” says the general secretary of the Solar Manufacturers’ Association, before launching a tirade againstChinafor wrecking the economics of this industry globally.
It’s the classic Chinese strategy: pumpprime its economy by driving exports.
Sometime in 2009, as countries took to solar power in bigger way,Chinaprovided an external charge to its solar-equipment industry. “Chinese equipment makers get free power for manufacturing, free land, incentives for exports and cheap capital,” says Jagat S Jawa, director general, Solar Energy Society of India, an industry body.
According to Bloomberg New Energy Finance, an independent agency that tracks renewable energy markets, Chinese banks have given at least $43 billion (Rs 2,15,000 crore) in credit facilities to renewable-energy companies.
Global capacity of PV cells, which had increased steadily from 2,500 MW in 2007 to 7,400 MW in 2009, exploded to 29,600 MW in 2011 and is expected to cross 40,000 MW this year, according to the European PV Industry Association (EPIA).
Most of this is being built inChinaand being exported everywhere-theUS, Europe, evenIndia. According to McKinsey, the price of PV modules fell from $4 per watt in 2008 to under $1 per watt this January.
InIndia, manufacturers using those modules say they can produce solar power at `8 per unit, down from `17 per unit just 18 months ago. By extension, modules or cells produced by Indian companies are out of demand, both inIndiaand abroad.
“Chinese are 25-30% cheaper then Indian manufacturers,” accepts Tarun Kapoor, joint secretary, ministry of new and renewable energy.
This cost differential, insurmountable for now, has put a question mark over the domestic capacity of 1,000 MW of PV cells and 2,000 MW of assembling panels. Half of this came up in the past three years and, says Venkataramani, at an investment of `10,000 crore.
Indian players entered this business about eight years ago to cater to European demand, mainly fromGermany. Solar received a push, whenJapanabandoned nuclear for solar after being ravaged by a tsunami in March 2011. A May 2012 report says that 29,700 MW of PV systems were connected to the grid in 2011, up from 16,800 MW in 2010;ItalyandGermanyaccounted for 60% of the market.
“In two years, the number of countries installing solar power has increased from 18 to 102, fuelling the explosive growth in manufacturing solar panels,” says Charlie Gay, president, applied solar, of Applied Materials-a $10 billion supplier of solar manufacturing units whose customers inIndiainclude Moser Baer and Lanco Solar.
The opportunity is there, but Chinese players are stealing it from everybody by offering cheap products, that too on 90-180 days credit. “Local suppliers ask for cash upfront, so buyers find cheaper Chinese suppliers more attractive,” says James Abraham, MD & CEO, Sunborne Energy Technologies, a solar-power producer.
“The market is there and booming,” says Gay. “But you need capacities of 300-1,000 MW to stay competitive.” Scale reduces a manufacturer’s overheads per unit, gives it greater pricing power with vendors, even build exclusive relationships with vendors.
Moser Baer, the largest Indian player, has a capacity of 215 MW; all others are 150 MW or less. By comparison, Chinese companies like Suntech, Yingli Solar (in 2010, it captured 27% of theCaliforniamarket), Trina Solar, LDK and GCL all have a capacity exceeding 1,000 MW.
Unable to scale up, all Indian manufacturers can do is raise the pitch. The industry wants the Indian government to follow theUSaction last week, when it slapped a 31% anti-dumping duty on Chinese solar panels. “Cell makers don’t have a level playing field,” says Jawa of the Solar Energy Society of India. “The government should impose an anti-dumping duty to protect local players.” It’s not a straight decision for the government.
On the one hand, Chinese-driven solar power at Rs 8 per unit gives impetus to achieving its stated aim of 22,000 MW of solar capacity by 2022; in 2011,Indiahad an installed capacity of 520 MW. On the other, unless there is a Chinese pullback, it will kill the Indian equipment industry.
For project bids after November 2011, the Centre has mandated power producers to source 100% of one of the two varieties of PV cells (crystalline silicon) from Indian makers only. However, it is up to the states to accept this. Some didn’t, notablyGujarat, the largest adopter of solar. As a result, only 150-200 MW of the 1,000 MW has been procured locally.
“While protectionism is good at inception, it cannot be indefinite…if we don’t scale rapidly, the market and investors will lose faith,” says Vineet Mittal of Welspun Energy, a solar-power producer. “We suggest protectionism abates by 2013 and the industry stand on its own feet.”
At the moment, Indian manufacturers can’t. They are migrating from producing PV cells to assembling panels, using Chinese PV cells. “Given the glut of solar cells in the market, we will not be manufacturing cells, but modules,” says V Saibaba, CEO of Lanco Solar. It’s anything but a long-term solution.
INDIA‘S LOW-CARBON TECHNOLOGY MARKET LIKELY TO BE WORTH $135 BILLION BY 2020
Billions of dollars worth of investment in clean technology and green energy are eyeingIndia, where the market for low-carbon technology is expected to expand to $135 billion by 2020, according to industry experts, making the country one of the most lucrative destination for companies in the domain.
Renewable energy has already lured stars such as Sachin Tendulkar and Aishwarya Rai and large companies such as Reliance Power and Lanco, and the flow of venture capital has increased in the sector.
In addition, foreign companies involved in solar power and wind energy, as well as global funds that scout for opportunities around the globe are increasingly eyeingIndiafor a slice of the lucrative market.
The market is promising as the government strives to tame energy-guzzling factories that spew toxic fumes, and old vehicles that contaminate the air with emissions. Analysts say that the market would expand even faster after the country’s economic growth bounces back from the current global slowdown.
“We are really bullish onIndiain the long run, because the private sector is focused to grow. Like in US, political system is paralysed in Indian at the moment that could lead to economic stagnation but we see opportunity in clean energy and environment and natural resource management businesses,” said Jeffrey Leonard, founder and chief executive of Global Environment Fund (GEF).
Leonard has been making at least two trips toIndiaevery year, looking for investment opportunities, and set up a local team. The private equity investment firm he set up in 1990 invests in energy and environment sectors and has $1 billion of asset under management spread across the world.India, among other emerging economies, would be a key growth area for GEF.
Analysts say that growth opportunities in the renewable energy space are rapidly shifting from the developed world to Southeast andSouth Asia, where investors are lured by generous incentives offered by governments.
“European countries likeSpainare cutting down on subsidies to renewable energy and overall business environment is dull there.
So investors from these countries are looking at destination likeIndiato drive their growth,” said Hemal Zobalia, Partner, KPMG India.
Spain, which was the most soughtafter country for renewable energy business until five years ago, has lost favour as the government has suspended sops for new renewable energy units.
Incentives were also rolled back inPortugal, while other countries such asItalyandIrelandscaled down the incentives. In sharp contrast, developing economies continue with their incentives for renewable power projects.
Indialaunched incentives for renewable energy in the 1990s, which led to a significant capacity addition, particularly in the wind energy space, where it is among the global leaders. Local and international project developers and investors thrived on the incentives and upped their investment in the country.
The government has also introduced generation-based incentives for wind and solar power in 2007, in an attempt to weed out non-serious players and increase participation of independent power players. The next big step by the government was introducing the National Solar Mission in 2010.
“Government’s initiatives for renewable energy has encouraged companies like ours to enter renewable energy businesses. Next generation entrepreneurs are looking at renewable energy to give back to the environment. That these businesses are also giving our shareholders’ return helps,” said Vikalp Mundra, promoter and director of M and B Switchgears which has diversified into solar power.
His company recently started trading renewable energy certificates on Power Exchange of India.
Renewable energy certificates allows renewable energy producers that do not receive a preferential tariff to sell certificates to distribution companies and large captive consumers to meet their renewable energy obligation targets.
Sector experts believe that the sector would also get a boost when power distribution companies start working towards achieving Renewable Purchase Obligations, which requires them to procure a certain percentage of power from renewable energy units.
Deloitte’s report ‘Private Equity fuellingIndia’s growth’ says, “The government’s endeavor to increase investment in core infrastructure is also expected to receive private equity’s support in the areas of infrastructure, healthcare, education and renewable energy.”
‘GREEN ECONOMY’ — A NEW ENVIRONMENTALISM
The biggest environment meeting of the decade is around the corner. From June 20 to 22, the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development will be held atRio de JaneiroinBrazil.
The meeting will bring together heads of governments, environment ministers, environmentalists, civil society organisations, donors, research organisations, and everybody related to the environment.
Since this mega event is a 20th year sequel to the famous United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) held in Rio in June 1992, the upcoming meeting is popularly known as the Rio+20 Conference.
The themes selected forRio+20 reflect how the world has changed in the 20 years. While the 1992Summitfocused on ‘“environment and sustainable development,” this year event will have “a green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication” as the main theme.
The difference is not a mere play of words. The distinct line that separated the developed countries (the North) and the developing world (the South) in 1992 has become fuzzy in 2012. While it was the developing countries focusing on employment and growth in 1992, the demand is coming more from the developed countries today. Thus “green economy” and “poverty eradication” have become the buzzwords forRio+20.
Indiaplayed an active role in the Rio Summit and is set to play a similar one inRio+20. The strength behind its voice has grown substantially in the two decades though. Today,Indiaplays the role of the leading voice of the developing world and also as a participant in the BRICS club (Brazil,Russia,India,ChinaandSouth Africa) of emerging economies.
This is clearly seen in the positions thatIndiatakes at the annual Conference of Parties (CoPs) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, one of the framework environmental conventions that came out of the Rio Summit. At the last CoP held inDurban,South Africa,Indiaplayed the make-or-break role. It is also set to host the upcoming CoP to the Convention on Biological Diversity atHyderabadin October.
The change inIndia’s status in the international environment meetings is a reflection of the changes that happened in the 20 years between the twoRioconferences. While the economic liberalisation had just been launched a year before the Rio Summit, byRio+20 the country has benefitted from its full impact and also vulnerable to all the risks that can come from such growth.
Economic liberalisation brought a paradigm shift in the way the country looked at environment and also environmentalism. When the 1980s turned to 1990s, environment and development were seen to have an either/or relationship. Environmentalism, on the other hand, was seen as a triangle of three opposing interests – of the people, the State and the industry. Liberalisation blurred these lines.
Liberalisation also changed the ecological footprint of the average Indian. For a country tutored on the philosophy of economic conservatism and saving, people were encouraged to consume and spend, and in turn encourage economic growth. Rip Van Winkle-like the Indian middle class awoke, bought and consumed all that their credit cards would permit.
The environmental impact of this growth continues to be seen around us. The urban centres have grown and they generate more waste. But they have not developed ways to handle these wastes. In Kerala, there are protests by local residents in two cities –Kochiand Thrissur – on how the urban wastes are being handled.
Unfortunately, despite economic growth, the country’s ability to deal with the down side of growth has not shown the same rate of growth. Rivers continue to be polluted, forests are under stress, rich agricultural top-soil slips out through streams and rivers, and hospital wastes mix with other urban wastes awaiting disposal.
Environmentalism, or the way people dealt with environmental issues, underwent a major shift during the past 20 years. In the turn of the decade from 1980s to 1990s, the most important environment news was about the anti-Narmada and anti-Tehri dam movements. These were movements where rural communities protested to protect their access to natural resources. When Medha Patkar or Sunderlal Bahguna fasted for the cause, they were pitting the moral strength of an individual against the might of the State.
When the economy focused on the urban consumers, environmentalism moved into the hands of the urban middle class. The tools used for environmental dissent changed to media action, lawsuits, e-mail campaigns, etc.
Twenty years before the Rio Summit was held in 1992, the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment was held atStockholminSweden. Other than the Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was the only head of state to attend. Gandhi made her famous statement of poverty being the greatest polluter at this conference.
The Rio Summit of 1992, which was followed by high-profile annual CoPs, took international environment discussions to an entirely different level of visibility, inside and outsideIndia. During the Rio Summit, the then Indian Environment Minister Mr Kamal Nath enjoyed the media attention when he made the not-so-diplomatic dig at theUnited Stateswith his “bushes and quails” statement.
The Indian environment ministers are the most sought after during global meetings. Ironically, even while the Indian government takes these strong positions in international meetings, internally even the roadmap to a low-carbon and inclusive growth is not yet ready.
The zero draft of the outcome document of theRio+20 Conference is titled ‘The future we want.’
Though it could undergo changes during the Conference, the present draft reflects the consensus evolved over the pre-Conference discussions. The heads of state will endorse the outcome document during the Conference.
(The author is the Regional Environment Manager with Panos South Asia. The opinion expressed is personal.)
METRO MULLS SOLAR PANELS AT STATIONS TO GO GREEN
NEW DELHI: In a bid to reduce dependence on non-renewable sources of power, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) is looking to tap into solar power.
As part of this initiative, Delhi Metro, in consultation withDelhigovernment, is planning to install solar panels at the Karkardooma and Noida sector-21 metro stations, said a DMRC spokesperson.
The solar panels will also be installed at the Yamuna Bank depot.
“These are plans for the initial phase to capture solar energy, which eventually will provide electricity using appropriate technology,” said a Delhi Metro official. The DMRC plans to harness solar energy at elevated metro stations, in depots and in open areas at metro stations, he added. Based on the success of the initiative, DMRC will plan further for its phase III structures.
The initiative comes on the heels of a special environmental drive that is being launched by Delhi Metro chief, Mangu Singh, on the occasion of World Environment Day on June 5.
The drive will include training of Delhi Metro officials in environmental awareness and environmental protection procedures in day to day metro operations, said the Delhi Metro official.
NVVN SUPPLIES UPDATES ON PV, CSP UNDER INDIA’S JAWAHARLAL NEHRU NATIONAL SOLAR MISSION
NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam Ltd. (NVVN,New Delhi,India) has released information on the progress of projects under both batch 1 and batch 2 of the first phase ofIndia’s Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM). This includes a report which confirms that 20 5 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) plants have been commissioned in 2012 through JNNSM phase 1 batch 1 in the state of Rajasthan.
The report follows a scandal where authorities were accused of creating false commissioning notices for PV plants in the state. NVVN has also provided details on the developers of all 28 PV and seven concentrating solar power (CSP) projects with power purchase agreements (PPAs) through phase 1 batch 1 of the JNNSM, and 27 PV projects through phase 1 batch 2.
GOM ON COAL BILL OKAYED
NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has approved the formation of a nine-member ministerial panel to sort out differences over the draft Bill for setting up a regulatory authority for the coal sector.
“The Prime Minister has approved the formation of a group of ministers (GoM) (to look into the draft Bill). The government has notified the formation of GoM today” a top coal ministry official told PTI.
Coal minister Sriprakash Jaiswal, home minister P Chidambaram, environment minister Jayanthi Natarajan, Planning Commission deputy chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia, power minister Sushilkumar Shinde are part of the GoM, the official said.
Mines minister Dinsha Patel, corporate affairs minister M Veerappa Moily, labour minister Mallikarjun Kharge and law minister Salman Khurshid are the other members.
The government is yet to take a call on who will head the GoM, the official said.
The Cabinet in its meeting on May 10 considered the note regarding constitution of coal regulatory authority and favoured the GoM, once set up, immediately look into setting up the coal regulatory authority.
The coal ministry had moved a draft Bill to the Cabinet which could not reach a consensus on some of the provisions in the Bill.
Sources had said that some of the ministers were against grant of so many executive functions to the regulator.
Besides ensuring transparency in allocation of coal blocks, the proposed Bill seeks to provide a level-playing field to all stakeholders and promote investment in the sector.
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