Kamarajar Port to import additional 18 MTS of coal in next two years as two coal berths cleared by MoEF

Chennai:

The state electricity board will soon be able to import 18 million
tonnes of coal from Kamarajar Port in the next two years after Union
Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change accorded
enivironmental and coastal regulation zone clearance for development
of two additional coal berths.



Sanjay Kumar, director operations, Kamarajar Port, said that the
clearance by MoEF was given on March 12 and now they are awaiting
clearance from the state pollution control board.



“Now we are in the process of getting ‘Consent to Establish’ a
statutory permission from Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board which we
hope to get in next 10 days,” he said.



He said that with the addition of two coal berths, Kamarajar Port
would be handling 40 million tonnes of coal. Currently, the port is
handling 22 to 23 million tonnes of coal.



Interestingly, Ennore Port is also planning to add another coal berth.
“it is still in the discussion stage and is likely to handle
additional 10 million tonnes of coal,” he said.



Tamil Nadu requires an additional 3.4 million tonnes of imported coal
to stave off power crisis this year. It is 60 per cent more than what
it imported last year.



Ennore Port sources said that TNEB has asked Ennore Port to increase
its coal handling to 34 million tonnes in the next five years.