Sustainable coal mining needs ecological priority, says MoEFCC expert

At a national workshop organised by Singareni Collieries, MoEFCC Expert Appraisal Committee chairman Matharu stressed that sustainable coal mining is possible only when environmental protection is prioritised. SCCL CMD N. Balram highlighted green initiatives including carbon capture, solar projects and groundwater revival works

Peddapalli: Sustainable coal mining is possible only when development and environmental protection move together, and ignoring the environment in the name of progress is no longer acceptable, said Inder Pal Singh Matharu, chairman of Expert Appraisal Committee of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

He was speaking at a national workshop on ‘Coal Mining and Environmental Sustainability’ organised by Singareni Collieries in Hyderabad on Monday. Matharu said many countries were giving top priority to environmental conservation, while India still had ground to cover. Human-induced environmental damage, he noted, was contributing to floods, earthquakes, melting polar ice caps and the retreat of Himalayan glaciers. He urged participants to arrive at strong recommendations on how mining could continue while giving maximum importance to the environment.

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SCCL CMD N Balram said Singareni had always operated within the guidelines of the Environment Ministry and had taken up several eco-friendly initiatives. These include sand manufacturing plants from overburden, mist spraying systems and dry fog dust suppression methods to reduce air pollution. The company has also set up solar plants and is working on pumped storage, green hydrogen and geothermal projects. He added that Singareni had begun a pilot project to capture carbon dioxide from thermal plant flue gas and convert it into methanol. Under the “Neeti Binduvu–Jala Sindhuvu” programme, SCCL constructed 62 new tanks and desilted 45 to improve groundwater levels.

The workshop was attended by representatives from various coal companies across India and eminent environmental experts.