SCCL to open 7 coal mines in 5 years: Kishan Reddy

Hyderabad: Union Minister for Coal and Mines, G Kishan Reddy said that the Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) intends to open seven new coal mines, and Coal India Limited (CIL) has plans to develop 36 new coal projects over the next five-year period.

While answering a question in Rajya Sabha on Monday, he said the NLC India Limited (NLCIL) has plans to establish two new coal mines. The Ministry of Coal has allocated a total of 175 coal blocks, of which 65

have received mining opening permissions. Currently, 54 of these blocks are operational, and they are located across various states and regions in India.

The Minister said that the positive impacts of coal mining projects on the lives of ordinary people include – the creation of direct and indirect employment opportunities; social and economic development of the surrounding areas, and improvement of infrastructure in the project locations. However, coal mining projects require large areas of land, often involving forested regions, which can lead to the displacement of communities and loss of livelihoods, adversely affecting the environment.

However, to mitigate these environmental impacts, each project, Kishan Reddy said, would undergo a detailed Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) that considers both pre- and post-mining conditions. Based on the EIA, an Environment Management Plan (EMP) is developed. The Environmental Appraisal Committee (EAC) under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) reviews the EMP and grants Environmental Clearance (EC). Public consultation, including hearings, is part of the EC process, as outlined in the 2006 EIA notification. The MoEF&CC imposes specific conditions and mitigation measures when granting EC, which are implemented in phases, with compliance reported in line with the prescribed guidelines, he added.

Regarding the acquisition and possession of land, compensation is provided in line with the company’s existing Resettlement and Rehabilitation (R&R) Policy. Additionally, since land is a State subject, the respective State R&R policy is also considered, he clarified. Further, each coal mine has a defined peak rated capacity, measured in Million Tonnes per Annum (MTPA). A year-wise production schedule is established according to the approved mining plan.

The new coal mining projects may result in increased water consumption, depending on the specific project and its technology. Water consumption is project-specific and is influenced by factors such as the project’s geographic area, mine depth, design (number of benches, width, etc.), and “The mining technology employed (including machinery used for excavation and transportation). Water is typically used for dust suppression and domestic purposes. A No Objection Certificate (NOC) for each project is obtained from the Central Ground Water Authority, Ministry of Water Resources, Government of India”, he added. The NOC is granted based on a detailed hydrogeological report and groundwater modeling.