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West Godavari region sits on vast coal reserves
West Godavari district, the rice bowl of the State is all set to become a mining hub. Recent surveys have identified vast coal reserves in Chintalapudi, an upland area in the district. Mineral Exploration Corporation (MEC) has started drilling in the region since first week of November, as a part of ongoing survey and the officials said that survey activity will continue for two months.
- GSI and other institutes estimate the reserves at 3,000 million tonnes
- Survey reports also indicate that the quality of coal is far superior
- Reserves were indentified in Chintalapudi, T Narsapuram, Jangareddigudem, Gopalapuram, Musunuru and parts of Rajahmundry
Eluru: West Godavari district, the rice bowl of the State is all set to become a mining hub. Recent surveys have identified vast coal reserves in Chintalapudi, an upland area in the district. Mineral Exploration Corporation (MEC) has started drilling in the region since first week of November, as a part of ongoing survey and the officials said that survey activity will continue for two months.
Studies that were done earlier revealed that there are coal deposits in the region encompassing Chintalapudi, T Narsapuram, Jangareddigudem, Gopalapuram in West Godavari, Musunuru in Krishna and parts of Rajahmundry in East Godavari district. The Andhra Pradesh Mining Development Corporation (APMDC) has sought permission from Union Government for mining of coal last year.
According to the reports, Chintalapudi belt in Godavari valley has been divided into seven blocks. These blocks are estimated to have 172 million tonnes of coal reserves. Out of these seven blocks, vast amount of reserves are identified in Sitanagaram block and survey reports puts the estimates at 48.84 million tonnes.
Chintalapudi block also has 48.84 million tonnes while Recharla has 14.26 million tonnes, Gurudevipeta and Bedadanuru 18.12 million tonnes, Jangareddigudem 9.59 million tonnes, Tadikelapudi 24.23 million tonnes, Narayanapuram and Pattayagudem blocks has 4.96 tonnes of coal reserves.
It has to be recalled that Geological Survey of India (GSI) has taken up a survey in the region in the early 90s. Further studies conducted by various agencies revealed that there are plenty of coal reserves in Chintalapudi area bordering Khammam district. According to GSI’s survey reports coal reserves in Somavaram village in Chatrayi mandal of Krishna district are superior in quality in comparison to that of coal in Singareni.
GSI’s report that 3,000 milion tonnes of coal deposits are available in the region is confirmed by another survey undertaken by a Lucknow-based institute in 2013. According to Birbal Sahani Institute of Polio Botany, the quality of coal reserves spread from Somavaram, Chintalapudi, T Narsapuram, Gopalapuram mandals to Rajahmundry in East Godavari, is much better in comparison to coal available in other states. The report furnished by the institute said that the coal deposits will be available 400 to 1400 meters from the surface, which was later confirmed by GSI and APMDC. Latest GSI reports say that coal, which is available in Chintalapudi belt, is far superior to the coal in the other belts of the region.
State is reeling under coal deficit as Singareni Colleries have gone to Telangana and is heavily dependent on coal imports from Odisha and Telangana. Officials said that if all the permissions are accorded and mining activity starts in the region the deficit will be cut down.
By:Ramachandra Sharma Gundimeda
