Greening the Mines: Coal and Lignite PSUs Lead the Way in Land Restoration and Sustainability

Coal and Lignite Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs), under the guidance of the Ministry of Coal, have significantly increased coal production to meet the nation's escalating energy demands while demonstrating a commitment to environmental preservation through various mitigation measures. This includes reclaiming mined-out areas with extensive plantations in coal-bearing regions. Marking the 30th anniversary of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), World Environment Day 2024 focuses on land restoration, desertification, and drought resilience under the slogan “Our Land. Our Future. We are #GenerationRestoration.” The Coal Ministry has released a report titled "Greening Initiative in Coal & Lignite PSUs," highlighting the PSUs' efforts in restoring and rejuvenating mined-out lands through afforestation and ecological restoration projects. These initiatives combat desertification, enhance drought resilience, and contribute to carbon sequestration and biodiversity conservation. By integrating these greening efforts, the report underscores the coal sector's role in advancing land restoration and promoting environmental sustainability, aligning local actions with global ambitions.

Secretary of the Ministry of Coal, Mr. Amrit Lal Meena commended the efforts of CMPDI and the Sustainability & Just Transition Division in compiling this report. He hoped the report would attract significant attention and promote innovative greening techniques such as seed ball plantation, drone-based seed casting, and Miyawaki plantation within coal mines. The report documents baseline data on the greening efforts of Coal/Lignite PSUs, validated through Remote Sensing Studies and on-site ground-truthing surveys. It presents mine-specific data on land usage, reclamation efforts, and plantation activities, both current and planned, within and outside project sites. The report outlines a roadmap for future plantation initiatives until FY30, aiming for sustainable land reclamation and the effective use of mining-degraded lands. Coal/Lignite PSUs have established green cover spanning approximately 50,000 Ha in coal mining regions, including biological reclamation of 29,592 Ha of de-coaled land, 12,673 Ha of avenue plantations within mine leaseholds, and 7,735 Ha of plantations outside mine leaseholds. This effort is estimated to create a carbon sink potential of approximately 2.5 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent per year. The report is expected to reinforce the commitment to land reclamation among coal PSUs and contribute to India's goal of achieving a carbon sink of 2.5 to 3.0 billion tonnes by 2030. The report is available on the Ministry of Coal's website.

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