Coal PSUs Adopt Sustainable Mining Practices

Sustainable mining practices, including advanced technologies for underground and opencast mines such as surface miners, xcentric rippers, continuous miners, and high wall mining, are being adopted by Coal and Lignite Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs), namely Coal India Limited (CIL), NLC India Limited (NLCIL), and Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL). In addition, First Mile Connectivity projects to minimize road transportation, water sprinklers and fog cannons to mitigate air pollution, and drills fitted with wet drilling and dust extractors have been implemented to control the generation of dust.

“These PSUs have also undertaken initiatives in bio-reclamation and afforestation as per the approved Mining and Environmental Management Plans. Mined-out areas, overburden (OB) dumps, and other disturbed lands in and around mining areas are being progressively reclaimed and afforested,” stated Union Minister of Coal and Mines Shri G. Kishan Reddy in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha.

These PSUs are implementing scientific reclamation methods, including multi-tiered plantations and the use of innovative techniques like seed ball plantations and drones for seed casting. From FY 2019–20 to FY 2024–25, about 13,400 hectares of land have been brought under green cover by these PSUs through the plantation of millions of saplings in and around mining areas.

The adoption of advanced sustainable technologies in coal companies is an ongoing process. For FY 2025–26, CIL has set a target of producing 537.92 million tonnes of coal from opencast mines and 23.63 million tonnes from underground mines using blast-free mining technologies. Additionally, Coal and Lignite PSUs have set a target of 2,800 hectares for plantation in and around coal and lignite mining areas during the same year.