Lok Sabha Question No. 3438 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-08-09
Subject: Land Degradation due to Coal Mining
Ministry: COAL
Asked by: T.R.V.S. Ramesh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COAL

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3438 TO BE ANSWERED ON 09.08.2023

## Land Degradation due to Coal Mining

## 3438. SHRI T.R.V.S. RAMESH:

Will the Minister of COAL be pleased to state:

(a) the details of the areas affected by land degradation due to coal mining during the last three years, year-wise;

- (b) whether Government is aware that around 70 per cent of the country's coal reserves are conducive for underground mining, a greener mining option to prevent land degradation;
- (c) if so, the details thereof; and

(d) whether it is a fact that the Government has requested the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to allow coal mines with existing environmental clearance to increase their production by up to 40 per cent and to hike production by up to 50 per cent without a fresh environmental impact assessment or public consultation and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

(a)  The details of the areas affected by land degradation due to coal mining during the last three years, year-wise, coal company-wise are as under:

| Coal company   | Excavated/degraded land area (in Ha)   | Excavated/degraded land area (in Ha)   | Excavated/degraded land area (in Ha)   |
|----------------|----------------------------------------|----------------------------------------|----------------------------------------|
|                | 2020-21                                | 2021-22                                | 2022-23                                |
| CIL            | 3508.30                                | 3012.23                                | 3008.05                                |
| SCCL           | 475.78                                 | 480.39                                 | 270.71                                 |
| NLCIL          | 36.00                                  | 25.00                                  | 40.00                                  |

(b) & (c)   Mining of coal reserve (resource) by underground or opencast mining depends mainly on its technical and financial feasibility analysis. Application of available technology, scale of operation & its  financial  feasibility  changes  with  new  technology  development,  input  costs,  price  and  other parameters. At the time of nationalization, majority of coal mines were underground mines and the depth  of  coal  seams  was  up  to  100m.  After  nationalization,  depth  of  opencast  mines  increased significantly and currently, it is generally considered up to 300m. Presently, underground coal mines are working at depth up to 600-700m.

As per available mining technology, coal resources within the depth range of 300 to 600m and higher are considered as amenable to underground mining. The depth-wise estimated coal resources as per the Coal Inventory published by GSI, as on 01.04.2022, is as under:

## (Resources in million tonne)

| Depth Range (m)   | Coking   | Coking   | Coking      | Non-coking       | Non-coking         | Non-coking   | High Sulphur   |             |
|-------------------|----------|----------|-------------|------------------|--------------------|--------------|----------------|-------------|
| Depth Range (m)   | Prime    | Medium   | Semi coking | Superior (G1-G6) | Inferior (G 7-G17) | Ungraded     |                | Grand Total |
| 0-300             | 3.02     | 11961.89 | 466.77      | 21688.23         | 156530.68          | 6718.12      | 1453.54        | 198822.25   |
| 0-600*            | 4060.49  | 4645.14  | 0.00        | 204.52           | 5897.48            | 0.00         | 0.00           | 14807.63    |
| 300-600           | 0.00     | 6509.31  | 758.14      | 13786.84         | 81952.69           | 12058.87     | 202.00         | 115267.85   |
| 600-1200          | 1254.78  | 4963.25  | 482.61      | 3434.04          | 16990.39           | 5388.66      | 0.00           | 32513.73    |
| 0-1200            | 5318.29  | 28079.59 | 1707.52     | 39113.63         | 261371.24          | 24165.65     | 1655.54        | 361411.46   |

## * For Jharia Coalfield only

(d)   Ministry  of  Environment,  Forest  and  Climate  Change  (MoEF&CC)  had,  vide  OM  dated 15.09.2017, allowed coal companies for 40% expansion without public hearing, with the conditions that (i) there is no increase in area for the proposed expansion vis-a-vis the area in EC, wherein last public hearing was conducted; (ii) coal transport is through conveyor system upto the silo and loading to railway wagons, and not by road; and (iii) periodical air quality parameters are within the prescribed norms.  During  the  Covid  pandemic,  on  request  of  Ministry  of  Coal,  MoEF&CC,  vide  OM  dated 07.05.2022,  provided  a  special  dispensation  to  coal  mining  projects  which  have  been  granted expansion of EC upto 40% of original EC capacity, to increase their production capacity to 50% of Original EC capacity, within the same mine lease area without requiring revised EIA/EMP report for additional capacity and public consultation. However, to ensure no further impact on environment, Certified  Compliance  Report  of  the  EC  granted  for  40%  expansion,  along  with  EIA/EMP  report, prepared based on standard ToRs for the additional capacity of 10% was mandated to be submitted on PARIVESH portal within six months of enhancement of production beyond 40%.

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