NAGPUR | Dec 20, 2016: Situated nearly 35km from the city, the coal mine and Eco-Park of Western Coalfields Limited (WCL) at Saoner was the latest adventure destination for the members of Nagpur For Kids Club (NFK). The visit, organized on Sunday, was aimed at making kids aware about the mining industry.
The kids started for Saoner from WCL headquarters, Seminary Hills, at 8am. The tour began with WCL deputy manager (PR) Asheesh Tayal leading the kids to Eco-Park. The park, developed by WCL on five hectares in Saoner, was opened to public in December 2015.
All the rides and recreational artefacts at the park have been built from mining waste. "The designing was done by our workers," Tayal said, adding, "Prime Minister Narendra Modi had appreciated this initiative in his 'Mann Ki Baat' address on March 27."
Explaining the story behind the park, D M Ghokhle, WCL area general manager said, "We have a lot of land due to mining and encroachment is a major problem for us. So, we thought we should use the land for the betterment of society. It is our prime responsibility to contribute to the nature."
After a brief tour of the park, NFK members were taken to the mining model in the park. The model consisted of a mine tunnel, model of chair lift man riding system and statues which showed different functions in a mine. A side discharge loader and load haul dumper used to lift the coal and dump it on the conveyor belt. The two machines were displayed in the mining model.
The park tour was followed by a short presentation. The kids were shown how coal was extracted from earth and transported to thermal electricity plants.
After lunch, the kids visited the Saoner mine no. 1 where they were briefed about the natural process of coal formation and mining. "The details of land with coal deposits are forwarded to Mineral Exploration Corporation Limited (MECL) by the Geological Survey of India. MECL then does a detailed prospecting of the site and gives details to Coal India. Central Mine Planning and Designing Institute, a subsidiary of Coal India, prepares a project report. The land is then acquired for mining," said Birendra Chaudhary, senior manager and mining safety officer at Saoner mine no.1.
The tour concluded with a visit to WCL's opencast mine at Gondegaon. WCL recently won a prestigious award for their Kamptee to Kanhan project which included supplying treated mining water for irrigation and drinking purposes to farmers and villagers.
(Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/)