Chhattisgarh Environment Conservation Board has announced a public hearing regarding the environmental clearance application for the Manikpur Opencast Expansion Project by M/s South Eastern Coalfields Limited. The expansion will increase production capacity from 5.25 MTPA to 7.0 MTPA across an expanded project area of 1031.507 hectares. The public hearing is scheduled for August 21, 2026, at 11:00 AM at the Kalyan Mandap near Manikpur Weekly Market. Draft EIA reports and summary sheets are available for inspection on the regional board site, and written objections can be filed within 30 days.