The Indian economy faces twin challenges of fulfilling its commitments for decarbonising the energy sector as well as meeting the country’s rising power demand, which would primarily be reliant on coal due to its affordability and indigenous availability, the coal ministry said on Tuesday. India’s coal sector has to play a crucial role in the foreseeable future in fulfilling the country’s energy demand for meeting various developmental needs, and at the same time, be responsible towards environment and society, the ministry said in a statement.
Against this backdrop, India’s coal sector has been taking several innovative initiatives to promote sustainable mining.
One of the key initiatives has been Go Greening drive in and around mining areas, thereby not only ameliorating the local ecosystem but also creating additional carbon sink to mitigate the causes of climate change.
Further, coal companies are also aiming to achieve carbon neutrality through various environment-friendly measures, such as extensive plantation and adoption of clean coal technologies.
During this year, coal and lignite PSUs of the coal ministry have set an ambitious target under the ‘Go Greening’ drive to cover 2,385 hectares of area under bio-reclamation and plantation.
The Go Greening drive is to be provided the right impetus through the launch of the ‘Vriksharopan Abhiyan 2021’ on August 19 by Coal and Mines Minister Pralhad Joshi.
It is expected that over 300 plantation sites in and around coalfields across the country will be connected during the Abhiyan through videoconferencing.
The Vriksharopan Abhiyan 2021, which is one of the key events of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations in the coal sector, will surely bring environment sustainability in mining operations. It will also help the coal sector obtain social and environmental licence to operate, which will be very crucial in coming days when more mines will be opened up involving new players.
Also, the Abhiyan is expected to sensitise and motivate the society and common people to take up more and more afforestation initiatives in their neighbouring areas.
