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Journalism of Courage
Seeking to end the intense bitterness,environment minister Jairam Ramesh today walked into coal minister Sriprakash Jaiswals office to indicate that his ministry is willing to go an extra mile to clear stranded coal projects having no insurmountable hurdles.
Following the meeting,Jaiswal is hopeful that 8-10 million tonnes of coal would now be redeemed from the Talcher and Ib Valley coalfields,which are classified as No Go areas.
The meeting comes days before the Group of Ministers (GoM) constituted to iron out the serious differences between the coal,power and steel ministries on one hand and the ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) on the other is supposed to meet,triggering speculations that the MoEF could be indicating to sort out certain issues before the group meets. During the course of an hour-long deliberation between the ministers,Ramesh is understood to have agreed to expressly consider bailing out blocks with less density vegetation cover from No Go areas.
We had a fruitful meeting and both of us agreed that certain issues which could be mutually resolved,be so done. After all,we both would do what is in the best interest of the nation. We are again meeting on Friday, Jaiswal told The Indian Express. Though the minister didnt elaborate,a coal ministry official said MoEF has expressed its willingness to consider less vegetated blocks in Talcher and Ib Valley coalfields.
However,MoEF would not review its decision on other coalfields including Singrauli,Hasdeo-Arand and Mand Raigarh. After todays meeting observers are now hopeful of a positive outcome after the next Friday meeting,wherein Ramesh is expected to formally communicate his ministrys decisions on certain issues.
