New Delhi: Coal and lignite public sector undertakings (PSUs) will set up as many as 19 echo-parks, nine in Jharkhand alone, for recreational purposes in their respective territorial jurisdictions in the months to come, said a senior officer of the coal ministry.
The PSUs, the coal ministry official said, have together proposed to spend a sum of ₹128.14 crore on development of echo-parks, which will also help the companies reduce the load of carbon emission.
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The PSUs have set up as many as 15 echo-parks in the coal bearing states like Chattisgarh (Kenapara), Jharkhand (Parasnath), Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal, Telangana, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh at the cost of about ₹39.54 crore.
The South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL) has proposed to set up three eco-parks in Chattisgarh at the cost of ₹37.85 crore, Central Coalfields Limited (CCL) to construct nine such parks in Jharkhand at the cost of ₹51.81 crore and Northern Coalfields Limited (NCL) will build two parks at the cost of ₹16 crore in Madhya Pradesh.
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The Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL) will set up a park in Odisha at the cost of ₹6 crore, NLC India Limited, SSCL, NCL and Eastern Coalfields Limited will set up echo-parks in Rajasthan, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal respectively.
Eco-parks were developed by Coal/Lignite PSUs for recreational purpose of nearby localities and no revenue earned from these Eco-parks is spent on development of the mining areas. However, Kenapara Eco-Park, SECL, Chhattisgarh is run and maintained by local Self-Help Groups to promote mine tourism. These Self-Help Groups are also earning revenues from floating restaurant, pisciculture and boating facilities of the Kenapara Eco-park for their livelihood.
