India has the fifth largest coal reserves in the world [
According to the figures given out by the Ministry of Coal, Government of India in April 2014, India produces 300 billion tons (BT) of coal, out of which 105 million tons (MT) of Gondwana coal and 1492 MT of tertiary coal reserves [
The coals from the northeast are high in sulfur, volatile matter and vitrinite, yielding double the amount of tar in comparison to other Indian coals. Mining of these coals generates large volume of waste materials. The northeastern coals have low ash content. In addition, many environmentally-sensitive organic and mineral-bound elements remain enriched in these coals that can cause air, water and land pollution.
The impact of AMD in the streams and groundwater at the vicinity of collieries is a growing problem in the northeast India. For example, in 2007, massive fish deaths were reported in the Lukha river on the eastern border of Jaintia Hills district in Meghalaya which were attributed to AMD contaminating the stream water and sediments. The water here has low pH, high conductivity, high concentration of sulphates, iron and other toxic metals, low dissolved oxygen (DO) and high biological oxygen demand (BOD), making it unsuitable for drinking. It has also adversely affected the aquatic life in Jaintia Hills.
The paper provides an overview of the governmental regulations and acts made in the context of coal mining in India and argues that it is important to urgently look into how coal mining affects the environment. The paper mentions a few technologies that have been developed to reduce the environmental impact of coal.
The paper warns that the demand for coal in India is projected to increase dramatically leading to increased coal mining in different parts of India including the northeast region. Since coals in the northeast India are known to create potentially harmful impacts, the paper proposes what needs to be done.
1. Indian Chamber of Commerce (Date not specified) The Indian coal sector: Challenges and future outlook. Accessed on 23rd June 2016.
2. Government of India, Ministry of Coal (2016) Coal Reserves. Accessed on 26th June 2016
A copy of the paper can be downloaded from below: