The BJP on Thursday claimed the much-hyped Deocha-Pachami coal mine project was a "hoax", alleging the state government had floated a tender to excavate basalt from 314 acres in the project area for 15 years after the contract for the first phase of stone mining on 12 acres had been scrapped.
“After cancelling the contract of the first phase of basalt mining on 12 acres of land, WBPDCL (the West Bengal Power Development Corporation Limited) has now floated a second tender to excavate stone from 314 acres. The proposed basalt mining will continue for 15 years... That means coal will not be excavated for 15 years...," said Jagannath Chattopadhyay, a BJP state general secretary.
"We question why the people of Birbhum were cheated and why 3,000 acres of land were grabbed in the name of a coal mine,” added Chattopadhyay, who reminded how the coal mine project had been used by the ruling Trinamool Congress to reap political dividends before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
The attack came on a day when chief minister Mamata Banerjee addressed the business and industry conclave in Calcutta, claiming the coal mine project would become the second-largest coal mine in the world, offering over one lakh direct and indirect employment opportunities.
Suvendu Adhikari, the leader of the Opposition, who was in Birbhum for a political programme in Labhpur, also raised questions over the Deocha-Pachami project.
“The chief minister said one lakh people would get jobs in Deocha Pachami. How many of you have actually got a job?” Adhikari asked.
During a news conference in Birbhum, the BJP state general secretary flagged several important questions regarding the future of the coal mine.
“The government must answer why it cancelled the contract with the agency involved in the first phase of basalt mining, which was also appointed for coal excavation, within a year. What was the agency’s reputation, based on which permission for coal excavation was granted?” he asked, pointing out that a key person of the agency had been arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with the sand scam.
Chattopadhyay also claimed that although the tender for the second phase of work had been floated in October, no suitable agency had come forward for the project. WBPDCL has extended the deadline for interested companies.
A senior state government official said the administration had floated an expression of interest (EoI) from expert agencies to mine basalt in the Deocha-Pachami coal block. The last date for submitting the EoI is December 24, and four agencies have already submitted papers expressing their interest.
Earlier, the government had floated an EoI to mine basalt from 12 acres as a pilot project, in which eight companies had participated.