NLCIL commences large scale hi-tech agriculture in mined out areas

NLCIL commences large scale hi-tech agriculture in mined out areas

Neyveli: NLC India Limited, one of India’s leading Public Sector company engaged in Mining and Power generation, takes care of the Mother Earth through planned refilling and reclamation of mined out area in compliance of the commitment made under Mine Closure Plan and in pursuance of transforming mine dump lands into cultivable fertile lands. Every year about 160 hectares of mined out land is reclaimed in the three Mines of Neyveli through afforestation, agriculture and horticulture.

In pursuance of endeavor to enhance quality of reclamation and to provide an impetus to innovative measures, four Polyhouses were constructed at Mine-IA.  These naturally ventilated Polyhouses in Mine-IA were inaugurated by the CMD, NLCIL, Shri Rakesh Kumar, through Video Conferencing on 28.09.2020 in the presence of Functional Directors Shri R.Vikraman, Director (Human Resources), Shri.N.N.M.Rao, Director (P&P), Shri. Prabhakar Chowki, Director (Mines), Shri. Shaji John, Director (Power) and Shri Jaikumar Srinivasan, Director (Finance) of NLCIL, Senior Executives and second line representatives of recognized Unions and Associations of Mine-IA. In a Polyhouse the plants area grown in a controlled climatic conditions. In total, four Polyhouses each of size 44m x 44m (1936 sq.m) have been constructed at a cost of Rs. 47.00 lakhs. 
 
In the Polyhouse No.1, Strawberries will be cultivated through hydroponics. Hydroponic cultivation is an R&D project, carried out in an area of 44mx44m in consultation with IISc., Bengaluru through CARD, NLCIL. The methodology in hydroponics is growing plants using mineral and nutrient solutions, but without soil. 
 
While Cucumber will be cultivated in Polyhouse No.II, Capsicum will be cultivated in Polyhouse No.III. The Polyhouse No.IV will be used for development of nursery to grow seedlings for use in open and protected cultivations. 
 
For the year 2020-21, Hi-Tech cultivation Projects are under progress in   100 Hectares of land and envisaged to be completed in four phases. Under Phase-I, 1 Hectare cultivation in Polyhouses and 9 Hectares open cultivation in Mine-IA are being taken up. Under Phase-II, open cultivation in 30 Hectares (10 Hectares in each of the three Neyveli Mines) will be carried out. While open cultivation in 45 Hectares (15 Hectares in Mine-I, 10 Hectares in Mine-1A and 20 Hectares in Mine-II) will be carried out under Phase III, open cultivation in 15 Hectares of Mine-I will be carried out under Phase-IV.
 
In the year 2021-22 and beyond, open cultivation in a total of 1000 Hectares has been planned. 
In order to create job opportunities for the Project Affected Persons (PAPs), it has been planned to engage 100% Project Affected Persons (PAP’s in all the Hi-Tech cultivation projects. For the year 2020-21, 200 PAP’s will be engaged in 100 Hectares Hi-Tech cultivation in all the three Neyveli Mines.
 
Also, employment to 2000 PAP’s will be provided in the future projects of 1000 Hectares. In addition to above and in fulfilling the objectives of NLCIL in social development, it is proposed to impart training in Hi-Tech cultivation for 5000 persons from villages around Neyveli.
 

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