By TIOL News Service

NEW DELHI, JAN 13, 2023: AS directed by the Coal Ministry, coal/lignite PSUs are taking several steps for conservation and efficient use of mine water by supplying the same in its command areas for community usages such as drinking and irrigation. Mine water discharged from the operational mines as well as water available in abandoned mine voids of Coal/Lignite PSUs are benefitting approximately 18 lakh people living in about 900 villages in the proximity of coal mining areas.

 During the current fiscal, coal/lignite PSUs planned to supply around 4000 LKL of mine water for community use of which 2788 LKL has been supplied till December 2022.  From this 881LKL has been used for domestic purposes including drinking. The beneficiaries of mine water are mainly tribal people and those living in remote areas. This endeavour is in line with the Government's Jal Shakti Abhiyan of water conservation effort. 

In 2022-23, Coal India Ltd. (CIL) has already surpassed its annual plantation target of 1510 hectares by expanding its green cover to 1600 hectares ending December of FY'23. CIL has planted over 31 lakh saplings in the current fiscal till December, 2022.

Greening initiatives inside mine lease area during the last five years in 4392 hectares has created a carbon sink potential of 2.2 LT/year. Coal/Lignite PSUs have covered around 2230 Ha land under plantation in the current fiscal till December 2022 and around 360 Ha under grassing. Use of new techniques like seed ball plantation, seed casting through drones and Miyawaki plantation in its various mines are in place. Mined out areas, overburden dumps and other disturbed areas are concurrently reclaimed as soon as they get delinked from the active mining zones. These afforestation activities and green belt development works are also creating carbon sinks. The dense tree coverage also helps to control air pollution, arrests the suspended dust particles emitted during mining operations.