CIL moots ground mounted solar power projects in decoaled part

Team News Riveting

New Delhi, February 7

State-run Coal India Limited (CIL) CIL is exploring the possibilities to develop ground mounted solar power projects in its suitable decoaled area under its mission of eco-friendly use of abandoned mines.

Minister of Coal, Mines and Parliamentary Affairs Pralhad Joshi in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today informed that in all 293 mines have been closed, abandoned and discontinued. Of it, highest 84 were owned by the Eastern Coalfields Limited (ECL) while second highest 66 were operated by the South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL).

These mines have been closed/abandoned/discontinued due to depletion of reserve, spontaneous heating, safety reasons, inundation, adverse techno-economics, financial losses, adverse geo-mining conditions, surface constraints, conversion to opencast mine, etc.

The Minister said the abandoned quarries of CIL were used for the following purposes: Dumping /Filling of fly ash in to the work out area for suitable reclamation, development of eco and mine tourism parks, afforestation, pisciculture, source to supply of drinking water and other domestic use and generation of sand from overburden of opencast mines at few places.

SCCL is taking up the following mine closure activities in these mines: Extensive Plantation on overburden dumps and vacant lands as part of post closure reclamation works, developing agricultural fields, eco-parks, fruit bearing and vegetable crops for the benefit of surrounding community, creating water bodies in the final voids which augment ground water recharge and also serve as source of water for agriculture, Dorli OC I, Dorli OC II.

Joshi said it had been proposed to fill the voids of Medipalli OCP after mine closure by fly ash generated from NTPC / TSTPS Project of Telangana State.

Details of closed/abandoned/discontinued coal mines in the country are as under: