Lok Sabha Question No. 243 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-11-27
Subject: MDOs for Coal Mining Projects
Ministry: COAL
Asked by: Smt. Bharti Pardhi, Shri Arvind Ganpat Sawant, Shri Shrirang Appa Chandu Barne

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COAL

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 243 TO BE ANSWERED ON 27.11.2024

## MDOs for Coal Mining Projects

## 243 Shri Arvind Ganpat Sawant:

Smt. Bharti Pardhi:

Shri Shrirang Appa Chandu Barne:

Will the Minister of COAL be pleased to state:

- (a)   whether the Government has decided to engage Mining Developers cum Operators (MDOs) for major coal mine projects under Coal India Limited (CIL);
- (b)  if so, the details and objectives thereof;
- (c)  the number of projects identified along with the total capacity awarded so far under the scheme, State-wise particularly in Madhya Pradesh;
- (d)  whether the MDOs would be responsible to manage crucial aspects such as Rehabilitation and Resettlement (R&R) issues, land acquisitions and environmental clearances;
- (e)  if so, the details thereof; and
- (f)  the steps taken by the Government to ensure the adherence of environmental standards?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF COAL AND MINES (SHRI G. KISHAN REDDY)

(a) & (b): Mine Developer cum Operators (MDOs) are engaged by Coal India Limited (CIL) through transparent  global  open  tenders  to  ramp  up  domestic  coal  production  and  reduce  coal  import dependency.

The  main  objectives  of  involving  MDOs  are  to  improve  coal  production  and  productivity  and streamline operations from coal mines. MDOs also bring technology infusion, economically viable operations and increase production. The MDOs will be responsible for the entire mining process, from excavation,  extraction  to  delivery  of  coal,  and  development  of  necessary  infrastructure  as  per  the approved mining plan.

(c):  CIL has identified 28 Projects with a capacity of about 253 Mty to be operated by Mine Developer cum Operators (MDOs). Out of the these, 14 projects have been awarded to MDOs, out of which six (06) are operational. The details of awarded MDO projects are as follows-

|   Sl. No. | Project Name   | Subs.   | State        |   Capacity (MTY) | Remarks     |
|-----------|----------------|---------|--------------|------------------|-------------|
|         1 | Ketki UG       | SECL    | Chhattisgarh |             0.87 | Operational |
|         2 | Hura-C OCP     | ECL     | Jharkhand    |             3    | Operational |
|         3 | Siarmal OCP    | MCL     | Odisha       |            50    | Operational |
|         4 | Itapara OCP    | ECL     | West Bengal  |             3.5  | Operational |

|   5 | Tilaboni UG                 | ECL   | West Bengal   |   1.86 |         |
|-----|-----------------------------|-------|---------------|--------|---------|
|   6 | Amalgamated NTST Kujama OCP | BCCL  | Jharkhand     |   8.5  |         |
|   7 | Parasea-Belbaid UG          | ECL   | West Bengal   |   2.07 | Awarded |
|   8 | KBP OCP                     | CCL   | Jharkhand     |   5    | Awarded |
|   9 | Chandragupt OCP             | CCL   | Jharkhand     |  15    | Awarded |
|  10 | Piparwar Ph-IUG             | CCL   | Jharkhand     |   0.87 | Awarded |
|  11 | Pelma OCP                   | SECL  | Chhattisgarh  |  15    | Awarded |
|  12 | Subhadra OCP                | MCL   | Odisha        |  25    | Awarded |
|  13 | Balabhadra OCP              | MCL   | Odisha        |  10    | Awarded |
|  14 | Sanghamitra OCP             | CCL   | Jharkhand     |  20    | Awarded |

No MDO project has been awarded in the state of Madhya Pradesh.

- (d)  &  (e):  Yes,  Sir.  MDOs  are  responsible  to  manage  crucial  aspects  such  as  Rehabilitation  and Resettlement (R&R)  issues,  land  acquisitions  and  environmental  clearances  as  per  the  Terms  & Conditions of the contract.
- (f):   The steps taken by the Government to ensure the adherence of environmental standards, are as under:
- (i)   For  opening  new  mine,  prior  Environmental  Clearance  (EC)  is  secured  from  Ministry  of Environment, Forests & Climate Change (MoEF&CC) under Environment (Protection) Act & Rules, 1986 and EIA Notification, 2006 and subsequent amendments. The mines are operated complying with the EC conditions thereby ensuring environment sustainability.
- (ii)   In  compliance  of  the  Van  (Sanrakshan  evam  Samvardhan)  Adhiniyam,  1980,  prior  Forestry Clearance is also secured from MoEF&CC, in case of projects involving forest land.
- (iii)   In case of Expansion Projects (for enhancement in Production Capacity and / or land area) prior Environmental Clearance is secured from MoEF&CC under Environment (Protection) Act & Rules, 1986 and EIA Notification, 2006 and subsequent amendments.
- (iv)   After receipt of EC, Consent to Establish (CTE) and Consent to Operate (CTO) are also secured from respective State Pollution Control Board under Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act,1981 and Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act,1974.
- (v)   During implementation of the project, Environmental Compliance   Report against the stipulated EC conditions are submitted to MoEF&CC.
- (vi)   In compliance of the EC/ CTE/ CTO conditions, regular environmental monitoring with respect to  ambient  air  quality,  effluent  quality,  noise  level  monitoring  and  ground  water  (both  levels  and quality)  are  monitored  and  reports  are  submitted  to  MoEF&CC, State  Pollution  Control  Boards (SPCBs) and Central Ground Water Board (CGWB).
- (vii)   In  compliance  of  the  statute,  Annual  Environmental  (Audit)  Statement  for  the  preceding financial year for each operating mine is submitted to respective SPCB on or before 30th September every year.
- (viii)   In  compliance  of  EC  and  Consent  conditions,  various  pollution  control  measures  and environment sustainability measures are undertaken which are regularly monitored and strengthened.

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