Lok Sabha Question No. 576 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-12-01
Subject: Shortage of Coal
Ministry: COAL
Asked by: T.N. Prathapan

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COAL LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.576

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 01.12.2021

## Shortage of Coal

## 576.  SHRI T.N. PRATHAPAN:

## Will the Minister of Coal be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  the  attention  of  the  Government  is  drawn  to  coal  shortage  in  the country;
- (b) if so, the response of the Government thereto;
- (c) whether the Government has assessed the coal storage and production and if so, whether it is matching the need of power generation in the country;
- (d) the details of rate of pollution from coal sector in the country; and
- (e) the steps taken by the Government to solve the pollution in coal sector?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS, COAL AND MINES

## (SHRI PRALHAD JOSHI)

(a) to (c): There is no shortage of coal in the Country. Due to increased demand of power,  less  power  generation  by  imported  coal  based  power  plants  and  some interruption in supply of coal due to heavy rains, the coal stock at the power plants depleted to 7.2 MT (sufficient for 4 days) as on 8 th  October, 2021.  Subsequently with  increased  coal  supplies, the  coal  stock  has  started  increasing  and  has  now reached 16.74 MT (sufficient for 9 days) as on 25.11.2021.  Coal India Limited (CIL) has dispatched around 54 Million Tonnes (MT)  more coal during April - October'21 in comparison to the same period of last year. CIL has dispatched 291.72 MT coal during this period, against 237.75 MT during the same period of last fiscal.The coal stock  at  CIL  pithead  was  40.23  MT  as  on  08.10.2021  and  32.30  MT  as  on 25.11.2021. The coal availability is sufficient to meet the power requirement of the country.

(d) & (e): Coal mining, like any other developmental activity, does have impacts on land and surrounding environment. However, such impacts in case of coal mining are generally contained within the project area itself.

In order to minimize the adverse effect of coal mining on environment, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has notified the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification, 2006, as amended from time to time, under the  Environment  (Protection)  Act,  1986  which  deals  with  the  process  to  grant Environmental Clearance. The projects of Coal Sector require prior environmental clearance (EC) from MoEF&CC.

While according environmental clearance for a coal project,  the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC)/ State Expert Appraisal Committee (SEAC) examine the EIA/EMP report  for  the  project  which  is  prepared  by  accredited  consultants  and  which contains detailed provisions for protecting the environment. Further the EAC/SEAC stipulates all  necessary  conditions  in  the  Environment  Clearance  for safe-guarding  the  environment  and  also  provides  mitigation  measures  to  protect the environment.

In  addition,  all  mining  projects  have  to  obtain  Consent  to  Establish  (CTE)  and Consent  to  Operate  (CTO)  from  State  Pollution  Control  Boards  (SPCB).  These Consents also stipulate various terms and conditions for protection of environment.

The stipulated conditions of environmental clearance and Consents are necessarily complied  by  the  mining  projects  to  minimize  the  adverse  impacts  of  mining  and allied  activities  and  maintain  the  appropriate  environmental  standards  in  mining regions.  Measurements  of  various  parameters  of  air,  water  and  noise  pollution levels  are  carried  fortnightly/half  yearly/yearly  as  prescribed  in  the  Environment (Protection) Act & Rules and EC conditions. Appropriate correctives measures are taken immediately if the measurements exceed the prescribed standards. Thus, the present  system  of  regulating  the  forest/environment  matters  through  MoEF&CC and CPCB/SPCBs has adequate safeguards in place for protecting and safeguarding the native environment in and around coal mining areas.

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