Coal Public Sector Units Have Afforested 55,312 Hectares in Mining Regions: Minister
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New Delhi, Dec 4 (NationPress) Coal and Lignite Public Sector Undertakings, specifically Coal India Limited (CIL), NLC India Limited, and Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL), have successfully biologically reclaimed and afforested around 55,312 hectares (Ha) of land in their mining zones up to FY 2023-24, as revealed by Union Minister of Coal and Mines G. Kishan Reddy during a Lok Sabha session on Wednesday.
The estimated carbon sink potential from these greening efforts is 2.77 million tonnes CO2 equivalent. These initiatives by the Coal & Lignite PSUs play a significant role in meeting India's Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) goal, which aims to establish an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent through increased forest and tree cover by 2030, the Minister noted in a written response to an inquiry.
The Ministry of Coal has set a target for land reclamation and afforestation for Coal/Lignite PSUs under the Vision Viksit Bharat initiative, with a goal of 15,350 hectares over the next five years. For the current financial year, the target has been established at 2,600 hectares.
In addition to traditional planting methods, the Coal & Lignite PSUs are incorporating innovative techniques such as seed ball plantation, Miyawaki plantation, high-tech cultivation, bamboo plantation, and drip irrigation for areas impacted by overburden, according to the Minister.
Strategies for ensuring the long-term sustainability of these reclaimed and afforested regions emphasize scientific reclamation, biodiversity conservation, and socio-economic integration.
These initiatives involve topsoil management, planting of native species, establishment of wildlife habitats, and monitoring through remote sensing technologies. Afforestation efforts are primarily executed by the State Forest Departments and State Forest Development Corporations associated with the Coal/Lignite PSUs.
Areas that have been reclaimed are repurposed for eco-parks, agroforestry, water sports, pisciculture, and renewable energy projects. Additionally, afforested lands on non-forest areas are designated as compensatory afforestation (CA) land for forest diversion associated with coal mining projects, he stated.
In response to another query in the Lok Sabha, the Minister emphasized that the sustainable development of the coal sector necessitates environmental protection, resource conservation, community welfare, and the safeguarding of forests and biodiversity.
The government is implementing measures such as obtaining prior Environmental Clearance (EC) from the Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change (MoEF&CC) before initiating a new mine or increasing the production capacity or land area of an existing mine.
In accordance with the Van (Sanrakshan evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980, prior Forestry Clearance is also secured from MoEF&CC for projects that involve forest land.
