Coal and Lignite Public Sector Undertakings, including Coal India Limited (CIL), NLC India Limited (NLCIL), and Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL), are implementing measures to ensure the sustainable utilization of mine water for irrigation purposes. Union Minister of Coal and Mines, G. Kishan Reddy, informed the Rajya Sabha about these initiatives in a written reply on Monday. The move aims to optimize water resources and support agricultural activities in mining regions.
- Excess mine water is gainfully utilized for industrial, and community use, including irrigation and domestic use, thereby reducing the need for groundwater extraction for such purposes.
- Regular monitoring and quality checks are conducted by accredited laboratories to ensure that the water meets the required standards for irrigation and domestic use.
- Rainwater harvesting and groundwater recharge measures are implemented alongside mine water utilization to maintain the groundwater balance.
- During FY 2024-25 (up to February 2025), Coal and Lignite PSUs have supplied approximately 3963 Lakh Kilo Liters (LKL) of treated mine water for domestic and irrigation use to local communities in and around coal and lignite mining areas in the respective states.
- Investment on infrastructure for mine water treatment has been made by Coal and Lignite PSUs on a regular basis in coal and lignite mining areas.
- Mine water treatment infrastructure forms an integral part of mining operations as per the statutory provisions mentioned in the Environment Clearance, Consent to Establish and Consent to Operate of the coal and lignite mining projects and includes such as effluent treatment plants for treating industrial discharge, water filter plants to ensure treated mine water meets quality standards, sedimentation tanks for filtration and settling of suspended particles, maintenance and upgradation of existing water treatment infrastructure to enhance efficiency and capacity, etc.
An MoU has been executed between Western Coalfields Limited (WCL) and Maharashtra State Power Generation Corporation Limited for supplying treated mine water from Bhanegaon Open Cast Mine to Kapakheda Thermal Power Station. Due to this, water from the Irrigation Department, which was previously catering to the water requirements of the thermal power station is now available for domestic and irrigation purposes.
