New Delhi: The Coal Ministry has been dedicated to its sustainable goals and has taken new strides in its environmental conservation efforts! They have surpassed their annual planting goals for the fiscal year of 2023-24 by planting over 51 lakh saplings that covered over 2,734 hectares of land and exceeding the current fiscal objective of 2,400 hectares.
The Ministry is excelling in the development of both economic opportunities and environmental preservation. This is a step towards achieving the country’s goal of being carbon neutral.
The ministry aims to strike a balance between the coal production needed to support the country’s energy requirements in a sustainable manner, and environmental conservation through this initiative.
In addition to that, the greening initiative has successfully covered an extensive area of 372 hectares of reclaimed land, resulting in stabilized soil conditions, improved moisture retention, and prevention of erosion. Notably, the Ministry of Coal’s coal/lignite Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) have contributed significantly to the effort by planting approximately 50 lakh seedlings across 2,370 hectares of land during the 2022–2023 fiscal years.
Coal Sector’s Initiative Elevating Its Ecological Footprint
Over the past five years, under the direction and oversight of the Ministry of Coal, public sector enterprises specializing in coal and lignite have effectively planted more than 233 million saplings, leading to a notable expansion of 10,894 hectares of greenery.
Annually, the coal sector organizes extensive tree-planting campaigns encompassing diverse landscapes, such as avenue plantations, overburden dump sites, residential areas, riverbanks, and roadside areas.
Furthermore, state-of-the-art methodologies, including the utilization of drone technology for planting in challenging landscapes, as well as the adoption of Miyawaki Plantation, Seed Ball Plantation, and Grassland Development, have been incorporated.
India's coal sector has significantly advanced in altering its ecological impact, bolstering environmental conservation, and contributing to the nation’s sustainability goals. Through their steadfast commitment to greening initiatives and the restoration of mined-out areas, coal and lignite Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) have played a pivotal role in enhancing India’s forest and tree cover.
These initiatives support the National Action Plan on Climate Change’s (NDC) commitment to create an additional carbon sink of 2.5-3 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent by 2030 through increased forest and tree cover. They also align with the National Mission for a Green India (GIM), a key component of the NDC.
Alongside its reforestation endeavors, India’s coal sector proactively promotes the development of mine tourism destinations and eco-parks.
The Coal/Lignite Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) have successfully established 15 eco-parks and mine tourism sites, with seven seamlessly integrated into the local tourism circuit.
Future Plans
In the future, the Coal/Lignite Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) have ambitious proposals to create 19 additional eco-parks and tourism sites within coal mining regions, promoting sustainable tourism and ecological preservation. The projected budget for these initiatives is approximately Rs. 128 crore (equivalent to US$ 15.4 million).
