Whether construction can begin on the Deucha Pachami-Dewanganj-Harinsinga (DPDH) Coal Block in the state will determine the fate of the proposed deep-sea port at Tajpur in West Bengal’s East Midnapore district, according to a top official in the state administration.
The second-largest coal block in the world, the DPDH coal block in Birbhum district has 1,198 million tonnes of coal and 1,400 million tonnes of basalt.
The DPDH coal block is a potential investment for The Adani Group. The Letter of Intent (Lol) for the Tajpur port in favour of Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone(APSEZ) Ltd. has also been issued by the West Bengal government. To establish this port, the Adani Group company will need to invest thousands of crores.
Only if the company is able to begin mining the DPDH coal block will such an expenditure be justified. The official stated that coal from this block may thereafter be exported via the Tajpur port.
There is no chance of any significant import or export expansion in the east without this guaranteed cargo, which would make the port profitable. The issue is that the anticipated relocation of families, many of whom are Adivasis, has already caused problems for the DPDH coal block.
“At DPDH, basalt strata are wedged between layers of coal. Both the basalt and coal will need to be extracted using specialised machinery and technology. For this, a significant expenditure will be needed. A corporate house won’t make such an investment until the property has been cleared and there is no chance of problems.” The Adani Group is aware of this thanks to its port investment experience in Kerala.
The families who currently reside near the coal block will need to be relocated, according to the authorities.
Additionally, they will need to receive compensated, he continued. According to estimates, this project will uproot close to 21,000 people, including around 9,000 Adivasis.
