Coal India to set up 16 washeries: Centre

New Delhi: The government today said Coal India (CIL) has decided to set 16 coal washeries in its various subsidiaries aimed at making the fossil fuel more competitive.

"Coal India (CIL) has decided to set up 16 washeries in its various subsidiaries to reduce the quantity of ash...from coal so as to make it competitive in comparison to imported coal," according to an official statement.[caption id="attachment_1099303" align="alignleft" width="380"] Beefing up infrastructure. Getty Images[/caption]

Of the 16 washeries, eight would be set up in Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL), Jharkhand , four in Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd (MCL), Orissa, three in Central Coalfields Limited (CCL), Jharkhand and one in Eastern Coalfields Limited (ECL) West Bengal.

CIL already has 17 coal washeries of a capacity of 39.40 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) in operation, the statement said.

Concerned over delays in setting up of washeries by state-run Coal India, Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal had earlier said that Minister of State for Coal Pratik Prakashbapu Patil will monitor that such plants are put in place expeditiously.

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The government earlier had said that not a single washery of CIL could be commissioned during the 11th Five-Year Plan period (2007-12) mainly due to delays in securing environmental clearances and non-availability of suitable land.

The coal ministry had earlier stated that CIL will set up 20 new washeries with a combined capacity of 111 million tonnes.

PTI