Deucha Pachami coal block
| Location | |
|---|---|
  Deucha Panchami Location in West Bengal | |
| Location | Deucha, Panchami |
| State | West Bengal |
| Country | India |
| Coordinates | 23°59′26″N 87°31′27″E / 23.9906°N 87.52425°E |
| Owner | |
| Company | WBPDCL |
| Website | https://www.wbpdcl.co.in/ |
Deucha Panchami (ডেউচা-পাঁচামি) coal mine or Deaucha Panchami coal block is a coal mine situated in Deucha and Panchamati area under Mohamadbazar community Development Block of Birbhum district, West Bengal, India. This coal mine or block belongs to Birbhum coalfield area. There are about 2170 million tonnes of coal reserves in Deucha Panchami coal block.[1] In terms of coal reserves, it is the largest coal block in India and the second largest in the world.[2][3] It is the newest coal mine in West Bengal.[4]
History
[edit]A total of 17 coal blocks were allocated by the Ministry of Coal in 2015; these included the Deucha-Panchami coal block.
In January 2016, Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee inaugurated the Deucha-Panchamite Coal Mine Project at Joydev-Kenduli. She claimed that the investment in the project would be approximately ₹20,000 crore. At that time, the Ministry of Coal had jointly entrusted West Bengal, Bihar, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Sutlej Hydropower Corporation with the responsibility of developing mines in the coal block. However, since other states did not show interest, West Bengal was given the sole responsibility of mining coal from the coal block.
At the 8th Bengal Global Business Summit (BGBS), Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee announced the excavation of the Deucha-Pachami coal block. On February 6, 2025, excavation activities began for the extraction of basalt―the thick rock layer above the deposited coal―on the 326 acres of land identified for the development of the coal mine began.[5][6][7]
Controversy
[edit]There happens a political agitation between the local Adivasis and ruling All India Trinamool Congress cadres in December 2021. Tribals of the area are against the construction of mine and refused to accept the compensation.[8] As per the news report they fear for eviction and loss of their properties, forest, agricultural land hence they claim that they do not want coal mines in the area.[9] Government officials meet with tribals protesters to resolve the issue.[10][11] It is also claimed by the administration that CPI (Maoist) sided with the anti coal mine movement.[12][13][14]
Transport
[edit]Railway
[edit]The nearest important city railway station from this coal mine is Sainthia Junction.[15][16]
Road
[edit]The Panagarh–Morgram Highway runs above part of this coal block.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "India's largest coal mine coming up at Birbhum: Mamata". Thehindu.com. 3 December 2015. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
- ^ "As Bengal moves on mega coal block, chorus on the ground: 'Come to our villages, talk to us'". The Indian Express. 6 December 2021. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
- ^ Som, Moyurie (16 February 2025). "Between a coal mine and a hard place". The Hindu. Retrieved 16 February 2025.
....the Deoch-Pachami coal mining project is being touted as the largest coal block in India and the second-largest coal block in the world, with an estimated reserve of 1,240 million tonnes (MT) of coal and 2,675 MT of basalt.
- ^ "Deucha Coal Block". Ejatlas.org.
- ^ Singh, Shiv Sahay Singh (6 February 2025). "Work begins at Bengal's Deocha Pachami coal mining project". The Hindu. Retrieved 16 February 2025.
Work on the Deocha Pachami Coal Mining project in West Bengal's Birbhum district began on Thursday (February 6, 2025) with basalt mining or primary cleaning of land. The move by Birbhum District administration came a day after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced at Bengal Global Business Summit (BGBS) that mining at the project site will start from February 7 (Thursday). ...said that work has started on 12 acres of land, which is vested with the State government and thus no land acquisition is required. ...Initially the State government had plans to start basalt mining on 376 acres of the project area.
- ^ Kumari, Sweety (6 February 2025). "Mamata Banerjee commences project of Asia's 2nd largest coal mine at Deucha-Pachami from BGBS 2025". The Indian Express. Kolkata. Retrieved 16 February 2025.
- ^ "Bhumipuja marks start of mining at Bengal's Deucha Pachami coal project - ET EnergyWorld". ETEnergyworld.com. Suri. 6 February 2025. Retrieved 16 February 2025.
Bhumipuja was performed at Deucha Pachami coal project in West Bengal's Birbhum district on Thursday, marking the commencement of overburden removal, an official said. The project involving the world's second-largest coal block, touted as a potential game-changer for the state, carries an estimated capital expenditure of Rs 35,000 crore and promises employment opportunities for around one lakh people.
- ^ "Empty promises: Why locals oppose the world's largest coal mine". EastMojo. 21 February 2021. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
- ^ সংবাদদাতা, নিজস্ব. "Deucha Pachami Coal Block: ডেউচা-পাঁচামিতে খনির দাবিতে তৃণমূলের মিছিলে বাধা আদিবাসীদের, কর্মসূচি সফল, মত কেষ্টর". Anandabazar.com. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
- ^ "Deucha Pachami: দেউচা পাচামী কয়লা-প্রকল্প, সংশয় কাটাতে আদিবাসীদের সঙ্গে বৈঠকে সরকারি আধিকারিকরা". Zee24Ghanta.com (in Bengali). 28 November 2021. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
- ^ সেনগুপ্ত, দয়াল. "Deucha Pachami: কারও মনে সংশয়, কেউ চান পুনর্বাসন". Anandabazar.com. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
- ^ "দেওচা-পাঁচামি প্রকল্পের প্রতিবাদ, আদিবাসীদের আন্দোলনের সমর্থনে হরিণসিংহায় মাও পোস্টার". Indian Express Bangla (in Bengali). 26 December 2021. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
- ^ "Mao Poster in Deocha Pachami : দেউচা পাচামিতে উদ্ধার 'মাওবাদী' পোস্টার, তদন্তে পুলিশ". ETV Bharat News. 26 December 2021. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
- ^ "Deocha-Panchami project protest, Mao poster in support of tribal movement in Harin Singh". Indianexpres.in. 26 December 2021. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
- ^ Singh, Nikhil (13 December 2021). "As Bengal moves on mega coal block, tribals trying to get best deal possible". Maktoobmedia.com. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
- ^ "Nagarik Mancha Newsletter-1 of 2022 : DEUCHA PACHAMI AND COAL MINING – PRELIMINARY FACTSHEET: A Documentation" (PDF). Nagarikmancha.org. Retrieved 20 July 2022.