Coal India plans green mining options through new technologies: Chairman

State-owned CIL is aiming at green mining options and increase production from its underground mines, which are favourable for cleaner ecosystem, through installation of technologies, company's Chairman Pramod Agrawal said.

The comments come at a time when there have been concerns about global climate change on account of the burning of fossil fuels including coal, resulting into greenhouse gas emission.

For environmentally cleaner transportation of coal, Coal India (CIL) is setting up coal handling plant/silos in 35 projects under the first phase of the first-mile connectivity, and stressed that it is continuing in the second phase as well.

"The company is also aiming at green mining options and planning to increase its underground output," he said.

Stating that CIL is committed to preservation of environment and creating a green canopy around its mining areas, the chairman said that the public sector unit planted over 30.4 lakh saplings during FY22, expanding its green cover to 1,468.5 hectares.

The chairman said that 27 eco parks and mine tourism projects have been developed as on date.

Satellite surveillance indicates that 76 major open-cast projects have reclaimed 62.5 per cent of excavated area limiting active mining area to 37.5 per cent.

For every hectare of land degraded due to mining, CIL created green cover of around 2 hectares of land.

Coal India accounts for over 80 per cent of domestic coal output.