Sustainable Development Cell: To promote sustainable coal mining

Context: The Ministry of Coal has accelerated the establishment of the Sustainable Development Cell.
Aim of the Sustainable Development Cell

• To promote environmentally sustainable coal mining in the country and to address environmental concerns during mining operation and till the decommissioning or final closure of mines.

Functions of a Sustainable Development Cell

• To advise, mentor, plan and monitor the mitigation measures taken by coal companies.
• To act as a nodal point at the level of the Ministry in formulating future policy framework for environmental mitigation measures including regulation of Mine closure Fund.

Other measures taken by the Ministry of Coal to minimise environmental pollution

• First Mile Connectivity(FMC): Under this, coal is being transported through a conveyor belt from Coal Handling Plants to Silo for loading. This process eliminates the movement of coal through roads. 
• Installing additional Renewable Capacity: In order to contribute to India’s commitment to increase non-fossil energy capacity to 500GW by 2030, Coal & Lignite companies have planned to install an additional 5.5GW of renewable capacity.
• Bio-Reclamation of mined-out land: Mine reclamation is the process of restoring land that has been mined to a natural or economically usable state.

Surface Coal Gasification Projects have been planned for SynGas production which will be used further either for production of Methanol/Ethanol, Urea or Petrochemicals. This will be a way forward for use of dry fuel as green coal with a relatively lesser carbon footprint and environmental pollution. 

• The use of LNG to substitute diesel consumption in mining and coal transport equipment has also been planned on a massive scale.