SUDHEER PAL SINGH New Delhi, 3 January

The environment ministry

Making a

Subhash Narayan

The government may soon make it mandatory for power companies to switch to energy-efficient supercritical technology for their upcoming coal-fired power projects as it looks at playing a major role in global efforts to fight climate change by cutting down emission of greenhouse gases.

A con sortium of six corporate houses including ArcelorMittal and Reliance Power has sought the Centre

The coal ministry has allowed Reliance Power (R-Power) to reassign 26 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) of coal from the Tilaiya ultra-mega power project (UMPP) coal blocks in Jharkhand.

THE environment ministry will have an integrated approach while dealing with clearance to projects dependent on coal, such as thermal power, steel and sponge iron manufacturing.

These projects will need to secure environmental and forest clearances for the linked coal block or mine before applying for clearances for the project.

The West Bengal Power Development Corporation Ltd will enter into joint venture agreements with both Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL) and NTPC Ltd for setting up power plants at Katwa in Burdwan and Santhaldighi in Purulia by the end of this year.

Memorandum of understanding is expected to be signed between the State government and the companies soon, the State Power Minister, Mr Nirupam Sen