Revised Coal Mining Guidelines: Stricter Measures for Optimization

New Delhi, Jul 2 (PTI) The revised mining plan guidelines aim to introduce stringent measures to optimise coal extraction, a government official has said while emphasising on the importance of balancing flexibility for mine owners with more responsibility and accountability.

Coal Additional Secretary M Nagaraju made the remarks during a stakeholders' consultation on Draft Mining Plan Guidelines for coal and lignite blocks on Monday.

The event saw participation of 25 coal and lignite mining companies, including PSUs and representatives from Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Meghalaya and Uttar Pradesh.

A coal ministry statement said the new guidelines represent a significant stride towards fostering a sustainable approach to coal mining.

The key elements include the mandatory inclusion of restoration, remediation and regeneration measures in mining plans to ensure sustainable natural resource management.

These measures aim to minimise environmental impacts, address community concerns, and promote continuous improvement in water quality monitoring, it added.