The Gevra mine, operated by the South Eastern Coalfield Limited (SECL), a subsidiary of Coal India, is poised to become the largest coal mine in Asia. With an approved expansion of production capacity to 70 million tons per annum, up from the current 52.5 million tons, this mine is set to play a pivotal role in meeting the energy needs of the nation.
The achievement of this milestone was marked by the grant of environmental clearance (EC) in record time, made possible through the concerted efforts of the Ministry of Coal and the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEFCC). The Gevra mine stands as one of the megaprojects of SECL, and this expansion signifies a significant step towards its vision of becoming the largest coal mine globally, boasting state-of-the-art mining operations.
Prem Sagar Misha, CMD of SECL, expressed his elation, stating, ‘Under the guidance of Ministry of Coal, a historic milestone has been achieved by Coal India team. We have a vision for Gevra to become the largest coal mine in the world with state-of-art mining operations and this is a significant milestone towards that journey.’
The SECL management extended gratitude to the Ministry for their unwavering support in securing the EC for the Gevra mine. This achievement marks a historic day for SECL and the state of Chhattisgarh, as they are poised to host the largest coal mine in Asia. They also acknowledged the swift action and support from the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEFCC), as well as the agencies of Centre and State and the Chhattisgarh Government.
