No alternative to open pit mining: Mosharraf

ET Report

Labour and Employment Minister Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain Wednesday said there is no alternative to open pit mining to face the growing energy crisis in the country.
“We will not be able to extract more than 10 to 12 per cent coal through underground mining. On the other hand, the open pit mining can provide us up to 80 per cent yield,” he said while addressing a reception at Bangladesh Chamber of Industries (BCI) at its board room in the city. BCI organised the reception in honour of the minister and two other members of the present parliament - Zahid Maleque, MP, and Golam Dastagir Gazi (Bir Bikram), MP.
Mr Mosharraf is the former president of BCI, while Mr Maleque and Mr Dastagir are present and former directors respectively. Speaking as chief guest, Mosharraf said, as the energy crisis was alarming, the government was trying hard to solve it. He said the governments in the last seven years had failed to increase power production. Instead, the power generation had decreased substantially. “We have to change the current power scenario through coal-based or gas-based systems.” “Without improving power situation, the development of agriculture sector cannot be ensured, let alone the industrial sector.”
The employment minister said the government was also mulling to set up small power plants which could produce as little as 2 megawatt of electricity. “The government is pondering to set up power plants in the coastal belts, which will be run by wind power.” The licence fee for setting up of captive power plant would be reduced, the minister added.

Source: The Financial Express, Bangladesh
Link: http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/print_view.php?news_id=63530
Date: 08 April 2009