Lok Sabha Question No. 389 (STARRED), answered on 2022-03-30
Subject: Closed Coal Mines
Ministry: COAL
Asked by: M.K. Vishnu Prasad, Krishna Pal Singh Yadav

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COAL

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 389 TO BE ANSWERED ON 30.03.2022

## CLOSED COAL MINES

## *389. DR. VISHNU PRASAD M.K.:

Will the Minister of COAL be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is contemplating to address the concerns of the closed coal mines in the country; and
- (b) if so, the details thereof and the present status of the closed coal mines along with the plans of the Government for using them for alternative purposes?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS, COAL AND MINES (SHRI PRALHAD JOSHI)

- (a) to (b): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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Statement referred to in reply to parts (a) to (b) in respect of Lok Sabha Starred Question No. 389 for answer on 30.3.2022 asked by Dr. Vishnu Prasad M.K. regarding 'Closed Coal Mines'.

- (a) : Yes, Sir.

(b) : Details of closed/abandoned/discontinued coal mines in the country are as under:

| Name of the Company   | Number of closed/abandoned/ discontinued mines (as on 1.4.2021)   |
|-----------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------|
| CIL Mines             | CIL Mines                                                         |
| ECL                   | 84                                                                |
| BCCL                  | 42                                                                |
| CCL                   | 29                                                                |
| NCL                   | 1                                                                 |
| WCL                   | 56                                                                |
| SECL                  | 66                                                                |
| MCL                   | 2                                                                 |
| NEC                   | 4                                                                 |
| SCCL Mines            | SCCL Mines                                                        |
| SCCL                  | 9                                                                 |

These  mines  have  been  closed/abandoned/discontinued  due  to depletion of reserve, spontaneous  heating,  safety  reasons,  inundation,  adverse  techno-economics,  financial  losses, adverse geo-mining conditions, surface constraints, conversion to opencast mine, etc.

The abandoned quarries of CIL are used for the following purposes:

1. Dumping /Filling of fly ash into the worked out area for suitable reclamation.
2. Development of eco and mine tourism parks
3. Afforestation
4. Pisciculture
5. Source to supply of drinking water and other domestic use.
6. Generation of sand from overburden of opencast mines at  few places

CIL is also exploring the possibilities to develop ground mounted solar power projects in its suitable decoaled area.

SCCL is taking up the following mine closure activities in these mines:

1. Extensive  Plantation  on  overburden  dumps  and  vacant  lands  as  part  of  post  closure reclamation works.
2. Developing agricultural fields, Eco-parks, fruit bearing and vegetable crops for the benefit of surrounding community.
3. Creating  water  bodies  in  the  final  voids  which  augment  ground  water  recharge  and  also serve as source of water for agriculture, Dorli OC I, Dorli OC II.
4. It  is  proposed  to  fill  the  voids  of  Medipalli  OCP  after  mine  closure  by  fly  ash  generated from NTPC / TSTPS Project of Telangana State.

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