Lok Sabha Question No. 1926 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-07
Subject: Coal Mining Affecting Environment
Ministry: COAL
Asked by: GOWDAR MALLIKARJUNAPPA SIDDESHWARA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COAL

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1926 TO BE ANSWERED ON 07.03.2018

## Coal Mining Affecting Environment

## 1926.   SHRI G.M. SIDDESHWARA:

Will the Minister of COAL be pleased to state:

(a) whether coal mining adversely affects the environment in the coal mining areas and causes other negative externalities;

(b) whether any State Government has requested the Central Government to share the 'Clean Environment Cess' with the State in which the cess has been collected;

- (c)   if so, the decision taken on such requests; and

(d)  the  quantum  of  amount  that  has  been  collected  in  different  States  as  'Clean Environment  Cess'  and  the  name  of  States  for  which  this  amount  has  been sanctioned/ utilized with State-wise details?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF COAL AND RAILWAYS ( SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL )

(a) to (d): Coal mining,  like any  other  developmental  activity,  does  have  impact  on Environment.  However,  such  impact  in  case  of  coal  mining  is  generally  contained  within  the project  area  itself.  The  impact  of  coal  mining  on  the  environment  is  assessed  during  EIA (Environment Impact Assessment) process, on a project to project basis. Appropriate mitigation measures are planned in the EMP (Environment Management Plan) document to take care of the impact  of  coal  mining  on  the  surrounding  environment  and  implemented.  Due  to  various mitigation measures undertaken, the coal mining projects do not cause other negative externalities. For all the  coal  mining  projects,  composite  EIA  /EMP  are  prepared  and environmental  monitoring  mechanism,  for  assessing  the efficacy of  mitigation  measures undertaken  is  also  proposed  in  the  EIA/  EMP  Report.  All  the  pollutants  are  kept  within  the prescribed limit and the compliance report is submitted to regulatory agencies on a regular basis.

As informed by Department of Revenue, the State-wise data on collection of clean Environment Cess  is  not  maintained.  However  all  India  net  collection  figures  of  Clean  Environment  Cess under indirect taxes during the financial years 2013-14, 2014-15, 2015-16, 2016-17 and 2017-18 upto  January, 2018 are as under:

| Financial Years        | Clean Environment Cess   | Clean Environment Cess   |
|------------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------|
|                        | Customs                  | C. Excise                |
| 2013-14                | 135.41                   | 3081.72                  |
| 2014-15                | 451.09                   | 5393.46                  |
| 2015-16                | 1172.27.                 | 12675.60                 |
| 2016-17                | 1212.59                  | 26117.25                 |
| 2017-18(April-January) | 313.82                   | 11442.49                 |

As informed by Department of expenditure, the State wise detail is not maintained. Ministry wise Fund allocation in different years by Department of Expenditure are given as under:

(Rupees in crores)

| Years/ Ministry   | MNRE      | Ministry Water Resources River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation   | of Ministry Drinking Water Sanitation   |   of & Ministry Environment &Forests |   of Total |
|-------------------|-----------|-------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------|--------------------------------------|------------|
| 2010-11           | 0         | 0                                                                 | 0                                       |                                 0    |       0    |
| 2011-12           | 160.80    | 0                                                                 | 0                                       |                                59.95 |     220.75 |
| 2012-13           | 125.78    | 0                                                                 | 110.65                                  |                                10    |     246.43 |
| 2013-14           | 1218.78   | 0                                                                 | 0                                       |                                 0    |    1218.78 |
| 2014-15           | 1977.35   | 0                                                                 | 110.64                                  |                                 0    |    2087.99 |
| 2015-16           | 3989.83   | 1000.00                                                           |                                         |                               244.97 |    5234.8  |
| 2016-17 (RE)      | 4272.00   | 1675.00                                                           | -                                       |                               955.74 |    6902.74 |
| 2017-18 (BE)      | 5341.70   | 2250                                                              |                                         |                              1111.3  |    6902.74 |
| Total             | 17,086.24 | 4,925.00                                                          | 221.290                                 |                              2381.96 |   24614.5  |

*****