Kothagudem: SCCL Board approves Rs 210 crores for construction of new quarters

Kothagudem: Singareni Board of Directors approved the construction of new quarters for workers costing Rs 210 crore as per the promise given Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao earlier. SCCL Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) N Sridhar announced that the decision has been taken at 554th Board of Directors meeting, which was held at Hyderabad Singareni Bhavan on Monday.

Sridhar said that first phase of construction of quarters was already taken up in Sattupalli area and now a decision was taken to construct 994 MD type spacious quarters at Bhupalapalli area. He said the Board has approved setting up of new environment department, which will include specialists to implement environment protection much more efficiently.

The board conveyed its appreciation as Singareni has taken up the construction of 300 megawatts solar power plants, called for tenders in the first and second phases, started operations of 10 megawatt power plant at Jaipur in the first phase and is also starting the Yellandu and Manuguru Solar Plants very soon, he informed. 'Tenders are to be finalised very soon for the third phase as well.'

CMD Sridhar also said the board has approved extracting 74 lakh cubic meters of coal through surface miners at Koyagudem OC2 in Yellandu area, removing 1416 lakh bank cubic meters overburden in the coming six years from Manuguru –PKOC. It was approved purchase of Rs 106 crore worth of used in opencast mines and also Rs 41 crore to purchase blasting material to be used in underground mines, he told.

Rs 45 crore budget was approved for the financial year 2020-21 for Polytechnic College, women, Junior, degree, post graduate colleges and nine Singareni high schools run by the Singareni Educational Society, Sridhar said.

After the meeting, the Board gave a grand farewell to three board members - Chief Secretary (Energy dept) Ajay Mishra, Singareni Directors S Shankar and B Bhaskar Rao on their retirement and their services were specially appreciated by the C & MD.

Board members - Western Coal fields CMD Rajeev Ranjan Mishra from Nagpur, Central Coal Department Deputy Secretaries PSL Swamy, and Ajithesh Kumar from New Delhi participated via video conference, State Finance Department Chief Secretary K Ramakrishna Rao, Singareni – Directors S Shankar, S Chandrashekar, B Bhaskar Rao, Balaram, K Ravishankar and Company Secretary Gunda Srinivas participated in the meeting.