Even as Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) is toying with the idea of transforming Yellendu into a major “mine tourism centre”, the State-owned coal giant faces an uphill task in implementing such an ambitious plan, amid the protracted controversy over the attempts to close the 21 incline (underground mine) in the coal town.
The 127-year-old company — with an enviable track record in both surface and underground mining — owes its roots to Yellendu. It was near Yellendu that coal reserves were first discovered by Dr. William King of the Geological Survey of India (GSI) during the British era. The SCCL’s ambitious plan envisages conversion of the 21 incline into a hub of “mine tourism,” after permanent cessation of mining operations in the underground mine, in the next fiscal, SCCL sources said.
The proposal is modelled on the lines of the “mine tourism project” being implemented by the Western Coalfields Limited in two abandoned underground coal mines in Maharashtra, sources added. Given the widespread opposition to the SCCL’s proposed move to close the 21 incline, from various trade unions in the coal belt region, the mine tourism plan is likely to face obstacles in its implementation.
The Joint Action Committee of various trade unions and Opposition parties observed a bandh in Yellendu on December 2 last year to mount pressure on the SCCL management to extend the life of the 21 incline for safeguarding the livelihood of thousands of coal workers and sustain the rich coal mining heritage of Yellendu.
When contacted, SCCL General Manager (Yellendu area) Y. Rajeshwar Reddy told The Hindu that the mining operations in 21 incline were likely to come to a permanent halt by March end. “Extension of the life of the 21 incline, one of the oldest underground mines of the Singareni Collieries, is not feasible from safety perspective,” he said, adding that a proposal was sent to the government for conversion of the 21 incline into “mine tourism centre” after its permanent closure. . If approved, the mine tourism plan, would help showcase many milestones achieved by the company, he said.
