Greenpeace has found a new campaign method. Recently, the environmental action group posed as a pro-coal organization to co-sponsor the 2008 McCloskey Coal usa conference, where it delivered an anti-coal message. Disguising its identity under the moniker Institute for Energy Solution, Greenpeace paid the us $8,500 co-sponsorship fee that made them publishers of the conference brochure. In the

with the first spell of monsoon in mid-June people in Bargarh, Nuapada, Kalahandi and Sambalpur districts in Orissa experienced something they had never seen before: a grayish layer on leaves, vehicles and elsewhere.

Hyderabad,July 29: The Chief Minister, Dr Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy, on Tuesday said more thermal power units will be set up in the state to tide over the power crisis. Dr Reddy sent a letter to the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, requesting him to ask the coal ministry to consider the proposals of Andhra Pradesh Mineral Development Corporation for allocation of coal blocks in the state. This includes the Thadicherla Coal Block No II spread over Karimnagar and Warangal for faster development. The corporation had applied for this coal block in 2005, he said.

Bs Reporter / Bhubaneswar July 30, 2008, 5:44 IST

National Aluminium Co (Nalco), a leading producer of alumina/ aluminium in the country, is facing a major coal shortage.

Currently, the company is running alumina refinery at half its capacity and may be forced to shut down the unit in a few days if the situation does not improve.

The company is incurring a daily cash loss of Rs 2.5 crore due to slashing of production.

Ishita Ayan Dutt / Kolkata July 30, 2008, 0:09 IST

Essar Steel may bid for US-based United Coal Company, joining seven other bidders, including rival JSW Steel, sources close to the development said. However, JSW Steel, India's third largest steel-maker, expects to finalise the deal by August.

BLACK GOLD

# Essar Steel is examining a possible bid and a final decision will emerge soon

# Bidders are scrambling for captive raw material resources because of the soaring prices of coal

The climate-change prime minister loses some green points

DURGAPUR, July 24: Following the murder of their two party men in Laudoha on Tuesday, the CPI-M is now mounting pressure on the district police on stop illegal coal mining in this belt.

The party is seeking to put an end to the illegal coal smuggling, which has remained a recurring menace in this coal and industrial hub for more than a decade.

Rio Tinto says it plans to double Australian thermal coal output by 2015 as it ramps up production at its Hunter Valley operations and removes infrastructure constraints.

The mining giant, which is fending off a takeover proposal by BHP Billiton, also plans to aggressively increase production at its Rossing uranium mine in Namibia.

Rio Tinto wants to increase coal production to meet global demand, particularly from China, which is shifting to become a large net importer rather than exporter of thermal coal.

P B Jayakumar / Mumbai July 24, 2008, 0:46 IST

In partnership with different US firms, two companies belonging to Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group (ADAG) have submitted competing bids for a single project floated by the Ministry of Coal.

The two ADAG companies