Speaking at the webinar, M. Nagaraju, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Coal, said that interested parties are free to set up coal washers in the country.
On Monday, Jindal Steel and Power Ltd (JSPL) asked the government to build washers in all coal mines to make washed coal available to the industry at an affordable price. Washing coal increases the efficiency and quality of dry fuel.
“All the coal mines in the country should be coupled with the coal washeries. So, if the coal washeries can be installed at all of the mines then we can get washed coal at an affordable price,” JSPL managing director V R Sharma said in a webinar organised by PHD Chamber of Commerce.
Speaking at the webinar, M. Nagaraju, the Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Coal, said that interested parties are free to set up coal washers in the country.
“The government has done away with mandatory washing of coal by the washeries for transportation beyond 300 km. But if the coal washery is required by a specific industry..players are welcome to set up. CIL is also setting up a large number of washeries,” he said.
On the importance of coal washers, the Ministry of Steel said earlier that it wants Coal India to set up more coal washers to minimize imports of coking coal.
The move would significantly reduce India’s dependence on imports of coking coal. India imports about 80 per cent of its total annual demand for coking coal.
