The Bhoomi Puja was undertaken today, a day after the announcement of starting of the Deucha-Pachami coal mines project in Birbhum district by chief minister Mamata Banerjee at Bengal Global Business Summit (BGBS) yesterday.
She had announced that Rs 35,000 crores will be invested in the largest coal mines project in the state and the basalt excavation will start from Thursday. After almost one year when the top basalt excavation is completed, the open cast coal mining will start in Deucha-Pachami coal mines project.
District magistrate of Birbhum, Bidhan Roy and police super, Amandeep were present today at the site.
Bidhan Roy said the work is beginning from the state government’s vested land bank in the Chanda Mouza of Mohammad Bazar Block in Birbhum district. “As per the instructions of the chief minister, the work of the Deucha-Pachami coal mines project started today from the government’s vested land and for that nobody has to be displaced,” said Bidhan Roy.
Even the district administration is trying to shift the trees, which are on the land, without cutting them. The DM of Birbhum said that many people have submitted their papers much late and the administration is verifying those papers and once those works are completed cheques will be distributed.
Already, many members of the displaced families have been provided jobs by the state government. Some land losers gathered at the site today seeking compensation.
In January this year, chief secretary Manoj Pant and director general of police, Rajeev Kumar had visited Deucha Pachami on the instructions of CM Mamata Banerjee and after site inspection met with the local people and held meetings. Kajal Sheikh, sabhadhipati of Birbhum zilla parishad accompanied them. Manoj Pant had said that the open cast coal mines will be set up to extract coal after one year on 326 acres of land.
Initially, the basalt which is on the top layer of the soil will be extracted, the chief secretary had said.
Chief minister Mamata Banerjee had once again reiterated at BGBS yesterday that all displaced families will receive compensation cheques and one job for each family in Deucha Pachami.
The Deucha Pachami coal mines project of the state government will be the biggest investment project before the upcoming Assembly polls next year in the state. It is the second largest coal mine in Asia and has a reserve of 1,240 million tonnes of coal reserve and 675 million tonnes of basalt reserve.