The Hindu : Business : German expertise sought for mine planning

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Nov 26, 2004

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German expertise sought for mine planning

By Our Special Correspondent

KOLKATA, NOV. 25. India has sought help from Germany to identify and mechanise existing mines which are being operated manually. This was one of the major points discussed at the 16th meeting of the Indo-German Working Group on Coal.

The group meets every alternate year. It was held here on the occasion of the ongoing International Mining and Machinery Exhibition, in which Germany has a major presence.

It may be mentioned that the Union Minister of State for Coal and Mines, D. Rao, had mentioned that a plan involving an investment of Rs. 100 crores or more was on the anvil to mechanise the mines of three ailing Coal India subsidiaries — Eastern Coalfields, Bharat Coking Coal and Central Coalfields. Sources said that the choice of technology for mechanising these mines would be left to the bidder who would be chosen on the basis of not only the capital cost offered by them, but also the revenue cost. Neyveli Lignite Corporation also featured prominently at today's discussions. India sought technology for mine planning, tackling fire in the Jharia coalfields as also some projects of the Neyveli Lignite Corporation, for fly ash utilisation and ground water intrusion.

The issue of steep seam mining, on which DMT of Germany has already conducted some studies was also discussed at this meeting where India has now sought the technology.

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