Lok Sabha Question No. 1723 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-10
Subject: Air Pollution caused by Coal Mining
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Shri Manish Jaiswal

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1723

TO BE ANSWERED ON 10.03.2025

## Air Pollution caused by Coal Mining

## 1723.   SHRI MANISH JAISWAL:

Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state:

the details of the steps taken to check air pollution resulting from coal mining in the State of Jharkhand?

## ANSWER

MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH)

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has made it mandatory to obtain Environmental Clearance (EC) for mining of  coal.  MoEF&CC  published Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification 2006 regarding Environmental Clearance  to  be  obtained  by  project  proponent  /  mine  owner  for  mining  activities,  which includes carrying out Environment Impact Assessment and preparing Environment Management Plan. Further, MoEF&CC has notified environmental standards for coal mines, a copy of the same is enclosed as Annexure 1.

State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs)/Pollution Control Committees (PCCs) are empowered to  regulate  the  industrial  activities  including  coal  mine  activities,  and  enforcement  of environment standards through grant of Consent to Establish and Consent to Operate under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution)  Act,  1981.  These  Acts  include  provisions  for  monitoring  of  compliance  of environmental standards as applicable along with provisions of show-cause notice/closure for non-compliance of environmental norms.

Air pollution control measures such as dust suppression technologies, water sprinkling, green belt development etc. are undertaken in compliance of conditions of EC and Consent. Further as per stipulated conditions of Environmental Clearance, coal mine projects are also required to install the Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations (CAAQMS) for continuous monitoring of air quality in project areas.

*****

## 1 [90. STANDARDS FOR COAL MINES

## 1.  AIR QUALITY STANDARDS

The Suspended Particulate Matter (SPM), Respirable Particulate Matter (RPM), Sulphur dioxide  (SO2)  and  Oxides  of  Nitrogen  (NOx)  concentration  in  downwind  direction considering predominant wind direction, at a distance of 500 metres from the following dust generating sources shall not exceed the standards specified in the Tables I, II and III given below:

## Dust Generating Sources

Loading or unloading, Haul road, coal transportation road, Coal handling plant (CHP), Railway  sliding,  Blasting,  Drilling,  Overburden  dumps,  or  any  other  dust  generating external sources like  coke ovens (hard as well as soft), briquette industry, nearby road etc.

Table-I

| Category                                                                                             | Pollutant                                                  | Time weighted average        | Concentration in Ambient Air   | Method of Measurement                                                          |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------|--------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 1                                                                                                    | 2                                                          | 3                            | 4                              | 5                                                                              |
| I New Coal Mines (Coal Mines commenced operation after the date of publication of this notification) | Suspended Particulate Matter (SPM)                         | Annual Average * 24 hours ** | 360 µg/m 3 500 µg/m 3          | - High Volume Sampling (Average flow rate not less than 1.1 m 3 /min)          |
| I New Coal Mines (Coal Mines commenced operation after the date of publication of this notification) | Respirable Particulate Matter (size less than 10 µm) (RPM) | Annual Average * 24 hours ** | 180 µg/m 3 250 µg/m 3          | Respirable Particulate Matter sampling and analysis                            |
| I New Coal Mines (Coal Mines commenced operation after the date of publication of this notification) | Sulphur Dioxide (SO 2 )                                    | Annual Average * 24 hours ** | 80 µg/m 3 120 µg/m 3           | - Improved west and Gaeke method - Ultraviolet fluorescene                     |
| I New Coal Mines (Coal Mines commenced operation after the date of publication of this notification) | Oxide of Nitrogen as NO 2                                  | Annual Average * 24 hours ** | 80 µg/m 3 120 µg/m 3           | - Jacob &Hochheiser Modified (Na-Arsenic) Method - Gas phase Chemiluminescence |

Table-II

| Category                                                                                                                                                                 | Pollutant                                                  | Time weighted average        | Concentration in Ambient Air   | Method of Measurement                                                               |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------|--------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 1                                                                                                                                                                        | 2                                                          | 3                            | 4                              | 5                                                                                   |
| II Existing coal fields/mines given below:                                                                                                                               | Suspended Particulate Matter (SPM)                         | Annual Average * 24 hours ** | 430 µg/m 3 600 µg/m 3          | - High Volume Sampling (Average flow rate not less than 1.1 m 3 /minute)            |
| Karanpura, Ramgarh, Giridih, Rajhara, Wardha, Nagpur, Silewara, Pench                                                                                                    | Respirable Particulate Matter (size less than 10 µm) (RPM) | Annual Average * 24 hours ** | 215 µg/m 3 300 µg/m 3          | Respirable Particulate Matter sampling and analysis                                 |
| Kanhan, Patharkhera, Umrer, Korba, Chirimiri, Central India Coalfields, (including Baikunthpur, Bisrampur), Singrauli, Ib Valley, Talcher, Godavary Valley and any other | Sulphur Dioxide (SO 2 )                                    | Annual Average * 24 hours ** | 80 µg/m 3 120 µg/m 3           | 1.Improved west and Gaeke method 2.Ultraviolet fluorescene                          |
|                                                                                                                                                                          | Oxide of Nitrogen as NO 2                                  | Annual Average * 24 hours ** | 80 µg/m 3 120 µg/m 3           | 1. Jacob& Hochheiser Modified (Na- Arsenic) Method 2. Gas phase Chemilumine- scence |

Table-III

| Category                                                                  | Pollutant                                                  | Time weighted average        | Concentration in Ambient Air   | Method of Measurement                                                               |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------|--------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 1                                                                         | 2                                                          | 3                            | 4                              | 5                                                                                   |
| III Coal mines located in the coal fields of  Jharia  Raniganj  Bokaro | Suspended Particulate Matter (SPM)                         | Annual Average * 24 hours ** | 500 µg/m 3 700 µg/m 3          | - High Volume Sampling (Average flow rate not less than 1.1 m 3 /minute)            |
| III Coal mines located in the coal fields of  Jharia  Raniganj  Bokaro | Respirable Particulate Matter (size less than 10 µm) (RPM) | Annual Average * 24 hours ** | 250 µg/m 3 300 µg/m 3          | Respirable Particulate Matter sampling and analysis                                 |
| III Coal mines located in the coal fields of  Jharia  Raniganj  Bokaro | Sulphur Dioxide (SO 2 )                                    | Annual Average * 24 hours ** | 80 µg/m 3 120 µg/m 3           | 1.Improved west and Gaeke method 2.Ultraviolet fluorescene                          |
| III Coal mines located in the coal fields of  Jharia  Raniganj  Bokaro | Oxide of Nitrogen as NO 2                                  | Annual Average * 24 hours ** | 80 µg/m 3 120 µg/m 3           | 1. Jacob& Hochheiser Modified (Na- Arsenic) Method 2. Gas phase Chemilumine- scence |

## Note:

* Annual  Arithmetic  mean  for  the  measurements  taken  in  a  year,  following  the guidelines for frequency of sampling laid down in clause 2.
- ** 24 hourly / 8 hourly values shall be met 92% of the time in a year. However, 8% of the time it may exceed but not on two consecutive days.

Unauthorised construction shall not be taken as a reference of nearest residential or commercial place for monitoring.

In case any residential or commercial or industrial place falls within 500 metres of any dust  generating  sources,  the  National  Ambient  Air  Quality  Standards  notified  under schedule VII shall be applicable.

## 2. FREQUENCY OF SAMPLING

- -Air quality monitoring at a frequency of once in a fortnight at the dust generating sources given in clause 1 shall be carried out.
- -As a result of monthly monitoring, if it is found that the value of the pollutant is less  than  50%  of  the  specified  standards  for  three  consecutive  months,  then  the sampling frequency may be shifted to two days in a quarter year (3 months).
- -In  case,  the  value  has  exceeded  the  specified  standards,  the  air  quality  sampling shall be done twice a week. If the results of four consecutive weeks indicate that the  concentration  of  pollutants  is  within  the  specified  standards,  then  fortnight monitoring may be reverted to.

## 3.  EFFLUENT STANDARDS

The standards for effluent discharge into sewer or stream or land, are given below:

pH - 5.5 to 9.0 Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) - 250 mg/l Total Suspended Solids (TSS) - 100 mg/l 200 mg/l (Land for irrigation) Oil & Grease (O & G) - 10 mg/l (Monitoring frequency of these parameters shall be once in a fortnight)

Optional parameters :

All  other  parameters  indicated  in  the  general  standards for discharge of environment pollutants under Schedule VI, shall be in addition to the effluent standards specified under clause 3. (Monitoring frequency shall be once in a year for the optional parameters)

## 4. NOISE LEVEL STANDARDS

6.00 AM - 10.00 PM

10.00 PM - 6.00 AM

Noise level

Leq 75 dB(A)

Leq 70 dB(A)

(Monitoring frequency for noise level shall be once in a fortnight) Occupational  exposure  limit  of  noise  specified  by  Director  General  of  Mines  Safety

(DGMS) shall be complied with by the local mines.