TABLE OF CONTENT

Serial No. Chapters Page no.

a Objectives 3

b Research Methodology 3

1 Introduction 4

2 Coal Mining in India : An overview 5-6

3 Impacts of coal mining 7-12

 Environmental
 Social

4 Coal Mining in Jharkhand: A Case Study 13-16

5. CSR in Coal Mining 17-21

6 Conclusion 22

Bibliography 23

RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

1. To study the environmental and social issues of mining.

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 2. To analyze a case on these issues in India.
3. To study the relevance of Corporate Social responsibility in mining industry

RESEARCH METHOD

Since the research will be descriptive in nature, therefore the data would be collected from
secondary sources of information. The secondary source includes websites, journal,
newspapers, etc. On the basis of data collected conclusion will be drawn.

INTRODUCTION
Business and industry have come into existence to promote social growth and social good.
They draw resources from the society and add values to generate wealth. Hence, society and
business are interdependent and business must take full account of societal expectations. A
stable social environment is a pre-requisite for business investment and industrial operations.
So industry needs to facilitate such environment by taking care of the concerns of the society.

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Coal mining is the most important and vital sector in India. It is India's least-cost source of
primary energy and currently meets two-thirds of the country's energy needs. While coal is
poised for significant growth, it faces significant and mounting social and environmental
challenges. Environmental concerns will be the key to the coal industry’s future. Relative to
other fossil fuels, coal is less energy efficient and pollutes more. The primary concerns at the
regional levels have to do with the environmental impacts on air, water, land, forest,
biodiversity, climate and the costs of mitigating these.

The mining operations like drilling, blasting, extraction, transportation, crushing and other
associated activities are carried out in underground and opencast mines. Mining operations
damage the environment and ecology to an unacceptable degree, unless carefully planned and
controlled. There is a need for balance between mining and environmental requirements. CSR
also plays a special role in mining because of the inherent finiteness of the resource body and
the environmental and social impacts related to mine closure.

This project has been organized as follows. The first section is an introduction to the coal
mining in India. The second section will review to the related CSR activities of coal mining
Section three describes the impacts of coal mining on environment and society. Section four
discusses important cases of coal mining in India and five concludes this study.

CHAPTER 1
COAL MINING IN INDIA

Coal mining in India has a long history of commercial exploitation covering nearly 220 years
starting from 1774 by M/s Sumner and Heatly of East India Company in the Raniganj
Coalfield along the Western bank of river Damodar. India is the world's third largest coal
consuming nation after China and the USA. India had 2009 coal production of 557.57 million

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tonnes, 6.2% of the world total. The world's major producers are China, the USA, India,
Australia, Russia, Indonesia and South Africa.1

With the advent of Independence, the country embarked upon the 5-year development plans.
At the beginning of the 1st Plan, annual production went up to 33 mts. During the 1st Plan
period itself, the need for increasing coal production efficiently by systematic and scientific
development of the coal industry was being felt. Setting up of the National Coal
Development Corporation (NCDC), a Government of India Undertaking in 1956 with the
collieries owned by the railways as its nucleus was the first major step towards planned
development of Indian Coal Industry. Along with the Singareni Collieries Company Ltd.
(SCCL) which was already in operation since 1945 and which became a Government
company under the control of Government of Andhra Pradesh in 1956

Right from its genesis, the commercial coal mining in modern times in India has been
dictated by the needs of the domestic consumption. On account of the growing needs of the
steel industry, a thrust had to be given on systematic exploitation of coking coal reserves in
Jharia Coalfield. Adequate capital investment to meet the burgeoning energy needs of the
country was not forthcoming from the private coal mine owners. Unscientific mining
practices adopted by some of them and poor working conditions of labour in some of the
private coal mines became matters of concern for the Government. On account of these
reasons, the Central Government took a decision to nationalise the private coal mines. The
nationalisation was done in two phases, the first with the coking coal mines in 1971-72 and
then with the non-coking coal mines in 1973.2

India had 2009 coal consumption of 245.82 million tonnes oil equivalent, 7.49% of the world
total.3 India now ranks 3rd amongst the coal producing countries in the world. Through a
sustained programme of investment and greater thrust on application of modern technologies,
it has been possible to raise the production of coal from a level of about 70 million tonnes at
the time of nationalisation in the early 1970's to production of 478.18 million tonnes in 2007.4

About 88% of the total coal production in the country is produced by various subsidiaries (a
total of 390 mines) of Coal India Ltd. which is the largest supplier of coal (and one of the
largest taxpayers) in the country. Although Coal India is currently State controlled, efforts are
being made to open the industry to Indian private investors. At present all private mines are
1
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coal_mining_in_India
2
http://coal.nic.in/abtcoal.htm
3
http://www.mbendi.com/indy/ming/coal/as/in/p0005.htm
4
http://www.mbendi.com/indy/ming/coal/as/in/p0005.htm

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allowed to operate only if they are producing coal to supply a specific industry (e.g. power
station, industry).

Coal India has seven coal producing subsidiary companies; The only other major producer
outside of CIL, is the Singerani Collieries Company that is located in Andhra Pradesh.
Singerani has 37 underground and 13 opencast mines, and produced 40.6 million tonnes of
coal in 2007.5

Need of CSR in Mines

CSR is needed in coal mining in order to address measures for following issues:

 Workers Safety

 Environmental Protection

 Social Issues

It is important for a coal mine to carry operations in a way which is socially and
environmentally ethical. The coal mines operations in India are carried in a manner which is
detrimental and has many consequences for a long time. Therefore, it is essential for industry
to continue in manner which is best for society, employees and environment.

CHAPTER 2
IMPACTS OF COAL MINING
While coal is poised for significant growth, it faces significant and mounting social and
environmental challenges. Environmental and social concerns will be the key to the coal
industry’s future. Relative to other fossil fuels, coal is less energy efficient and pollutes more.
The primary concerns at the regional levels have to do with the environmental impacts on air,
water, land, forest, biodiversity, climate and the costs of mitigating these.

5
http://miningtopnew.blogspot.com/2010/01/india-coal-mining.html

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ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT6

AIR POLLUTION
Air pollution in coal mines is mainly due to the fugitive emission of particulate matter and
gases including methane (CH4), sulphur dioxide (SO2) and oxides of nitrogen (NO2). The
mining operations like drilling, blasting, movement of the heavy earth moving machinery on
haul roads, collection, transportation and handling of coal, screening, sizing and segregation
units are the major sources of such emissions.
Underground mine fire is also a major source of air pollution in some of the coal fields. High
levels of suspended particulate matter increase respiratory diseases such as chronic bronchitis
and asthma cases while gaseous emissions contribute towards global warming besides
causing health hazards to the exposed population. Methane emission from coal mining
depends on the mining methods, depth of coal mining, coal quality and entrapped gas content
in coal seams.

WATRE POLLUTION
Mining and its associated activities not only uses a lot of water but also affects the
hydrological regime of the district and often affects the water quality. The major hydrological
impact of a large and deep opencast mine, however, is on the ground water regime of the
region. The water seeping into the mine and collected in the mine sump is partly used up in
the mine and the excess amount is discharged into the surface drainage system. The water
used up in the mine for spraying on haul roads, conveyors, at loading and unloading points,
bunkers etc. are lost by evaporation. A deep mine is likely to have longer haul roads requiring
more spraying water. Many areas of the country are faced with the problem of over
exploitation of ground water resources resulting in alarming lowering of water table.
Therefore a lot of care has to be taken in estimating the water need and the mines of future
are likely to be subjected to a lot of constraints on water use and discharge.

LAND DEGRADATION
The opencast coal mines are developed at the surface, because of that these mines are also
called surface coal mines. The overburden, i.e., the rock or soil overlaid the coal seam, are

6
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%20of%20Coal%20Mining%20in%20India.pdf

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removed before extraction of coal. This overburden is dumped on surface, preferably on
mined-out or decoaled area. Therefore, this type of mining requires quite large area on
surface. Many a times, large forest areas are transferred for coal mining purpose. The land
degradation is the result of creation and expansion of opencast coal mines. The aspect of land
degradation in underground coal mines is due to subsidence over the underground cavity
resulted from underground caving.

NOISE POLLUTION
A cumulative effect of all mining activities produces enormous noise and vibrations in the
mining area, which constitutes a source of disturbance. The availability of large diameter,
high capacity pneumatic drills, blasting of hundreds of tonnes of explosive etc. are identified
as noise prone activities. Inpit crushing system with mobile crusher and large capacity
materials handling plants are being installed to facilitate speedy handling of large quantities.
All these activities are major sources of noise & vibrations in and around the mining
complexes. The obvious implication of noise is, of course, the potential for noise-induced
hearing loss. In addition, noise produces other health effects, influences work performance
and makes communications more difficult. Besides, the fauna in the forests and other areas
surrounding the mines/industrial complexes is also affected by noise and it has generally been
believed that wildlife is more sensitive to noise and vibrations than the human beings.

ECOLOGICAL (FLORA & FAUNA) IMBALANCE

The major adverse impacts due to pre-mining and mining phases are loss of habitat,
biodiversity, rare flora & fauna, fisheries & other aquatic life, migration of wildlife and
overall disruption of the ecology of the area.
SOCIAL IMPACT7

Coal mining, despite the very substantial benefits they bestow on society, stir strong
emotions. Social change is one such sensitive issue associated with coal developments, which
deserves serious, systematic and sympathetic consideration. Some past mining practices were
clearly unsatisfactory by today’s standards and there are still examples of unacceptable
mining operations. Like the environmental impacts, the social impacts of mining are often
difficult to quantify. Perhaps least attention has been paid to this aspect, in decisions on

7
http://www.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/files/Mitigating%20Environmental%20and%20Social%20Impacts
%20of%20Coal%20Mining%20in%20India.pdf

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where and how to minimise it. Despite the industry’s vastly improved environmental and
social performance and its efforts to engage its critics, coal mining is subjected to increasing
public disfavour. Many accept it grudgingly as a necessary evil. Others consider that the
industry is incompatible with sustainable development. There is a gulf between the industry’s
self-perception and how many others see it. This gulf is all to do with sustainable
development. A great ongoing social challenge for the coal industry is sustainable
development and community acceptance of its role in society.

The problem of mining-induced displacement and resettlement (MIDR) poses major risks to
societal sustainability. MIDR is accompanied by what displacement specialists call the
resettlement effect, defined as the loss of physical and non-physical assets, including homes,
communities, productive land, income-earning assets and sources, subsistence, resources,
cultural sites, social structures, networks and ties, cultural identity and mutual help
mechanisms. Investigations into displacement have found nine other potential risks that
deeply threaten sustainability, which include joblessness, homelessness, marginalization,
food insecurity, loss of common lands and resources, increased health risks, social
disarticulation, the disruption of formal educational activities, and the loss of civil and human
rights. Certain groups—especially indigenous peoples, the elderly and women—have been
found to be more vulnerable to displacement-induced impoverishment risks. The various
social impact are explained in this part of the project.

LANDLESSNESS
MIDR raises the significant risk of landlessness by removing the foundations upon which
productive systems, commercial activities, and livelihoods are articulated. This form of
decapitalization occurs not only from the loss of land to mining, but also as a result of the
inability of the displaced to find suitable replacement land. MIDR-related hardship from
 landlessness may take four forms:
 the initial loss of land to mining,
 damages to the land’s productive potential in the surrounding,

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  Subsequent losses in the productive value of land on account of environmental
problems, and loss of land occurring because landless people are unable to gain access
to alternative lands.

JOBLESSNESS
The ethnic people living in the designated areas depend generally for their livelihood on the
land. Since, in mining areas the land is taken for mining and associated activities these people
lose their livelihood. Post-displacement unemployment or underemployment is often chronic
following the dismantling of the local income-generating resource base.

HOMELESSNESS
Defined as the “loss of house-plots, dwellings and shelter.” For many people homelessness
may be only temporary, but in poorly executed displacements, it remains chronic.
Homelessness or the replacement of a house with a structure that its occupants may not
consider “a home” is often associated with a profound loss of identity and cultural
impoverishment as the symbolic importance of place, in terms of family cohesion and a
remembered location for mutual support, not only from the household but neighbouring
households, is disturbed.

RISK OF MARGINALIZATION
The risk of marginalization threatens displaced individuals and entire communities as they
slip into lower socio-economic status relative to their local areas. Research has shown that
such marginalization is accompanied by a loss in self-esteem, especially when the displaced
become “outsiders” and “newcomers” in host communities.

CHANGES IN POPULATION DYNAMICS

All the manpower required for mining and associated activities comes from outside as such
trained manpower is usually not available in ethnic population. Thus, the population
dynamics of the area undergoes a major change over the years resulting in dilution of the
ethnic population.

COST OF LIVING

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Increased industrial and economic activities generate more money and increase the buying
power of the people directly and indirectly associated with these activities. This leads to an
increase in the cost of living, which adversely affects the other people, including ethnic
people, who are not associated with these activities.

HEALTH RISKS
The already marginal health status of displaced people near mines is worsened by the stress
and trauma of moving. Recurring problems are reported with resettled populations gaining
access to safe potable water and safe sanitation; increased diarrhoea, dysentery and epidemic
infections often result. As might be expected, the health impacts fall disproportionately on
infants, children,expectant mothers and the elderly.

DISRUPTION OF FORMAL EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES

Risk occurs in the disruption of education and routine socialization. Displacement and
relocation often cause a significant interruption in the functioning of schools and in child
access to education during the year of transfer or for longer periods of time. Empirical studies
show that a number of these children never return to school and instead join the labour force
at an early age. The chaos of relocation distracts parents from focusing on the concerns of
their children as they struggle to reconstruct their physical and productive environment.

OTHER RISKS
Indigenous people, women and the elderly are also more likely to be victims of the
resettlement effect. Scheduled castes and scheduled tribal women in India were most
adversely affected. The loss of authority and right was compounded by the breakup of
families. Besides, the aforementioned increase in unemployment, researchers identified two
additional negative impacts on women resulting from their forced displacement by coal
mines. Women suffered from an increase in domestic violence. As their productive activities
in farm work, kitchen gardens, and the collection and sale of minor forest produce and other
cottage industries decreased or ceased entirely, women were no longer productive
contributors to their households, and lost social status within the community where they once
held recognized roles. The authority and right they enjoyed as income earners in decision-
making has been weakened.

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 CHAPTER 3
COAL MINING IN JHARKHAND: A CASE STUDY

Jharkhand is one of the richest areas in the whole country, rich in minerals with huge reserves
of coal, iron ore, mica, bauxite and limestone and considerable reserves of copper, chromite,
asbestos, kyanite, china clay, fire clay, steatite, uranium, manganese, dolomite, tungsten,
gold, etc. Coal is found in the Gondwana rocks of the Damodar basin. The well known

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coalfields of the area are Raniganj, Jharia, east and west Bokaro, Ramgarh, and south and
north Karanpur.8 Due to abundance in cheap labour and its backwardness, otherwise, has
been the site of a good many industrial establishment since pre-Independence days and that
industrialization has brought with it ill effects the worst of which is the devastation of its
environment and to its inhabitants. In the state not many initiative have been taken by the
government to improve its state of affairs. And the situation is deteriorating each year. The
various ill effects are explained in following part of the project.

ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS

 Impact on water : The large scale mining operations going on in the region have
adversely affected groundwater table in many areas with the result that yield of water
from the wells of adjoining villages has drastically reduced. The release of different
toxic metals like arsenic, mercury, chromium, nickel etc. From the coals and mine
spoil heaps in Damodar and its tributaries have caused severe damage to water
quality. Continuous dewatering by underground mines also affects water resources.
These mines annually pump out millions of litres to drain mine galleries and release it
into nearby water courses. This has caused flooding, silting, water logging and
pollution in the mining areas of Jharkhand.
Further, effluents discharged from mine sites have seriously polluted the streams and
under groundwater of the area. Acid mine drainage, liquid effluents from coal
handling plants, colliery workshops and mine sites and suspended solids from coal
washeries have caused serious water pollution in the region, adversely affecting fish
and aquatic life.
Damodar river in area is the most polluted amongst Indian rivers and ironically almost
all polluting industries are government owned. A study of the area showed that one
coal washery alone was discharging about 45 tonnes of fine coal into the Damodar
every day and there are as many as eleven coal washeries in the region with an
installed capacity of 20.52 million tonnes annually.

 Impact on Air: Blasting in coal mine produces noxious fumes that are released into
the atmosphere . The ashes dumped into the open which has endangered not only the
lives of the mine workers but also of those living in the surrounding areas. Dust

8
www.wikipedia.com

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 generated by mining and mineral based industries has also reduced agricultural
productivity in Jharkhand State. The observations have been found to have
conformable behaviours in the fly ash study of Damodar coals. In exclusive coal
mining areas also has high incidence of pneumoconiosis, up to 11%, has been
reported in the Jharia coal field region.

 Impact on forest: forests in Jharkhand cover about 29 per cent of the state´s total
geographical area. Feeding minerals to meet the nation´s insatiable appetite has taken
its tall on the state- rampant mining for decades has turned large tracts of forests into
wastelands. During the 80´s, coal companies acquired thousands of hectares of forests
in Jharkhand for mining operation in Damodar valley. The forest cover in the
Damodar valley coalfield, once 65 per cent, stands at only 0.05 per cent today. Today,
uncontrolled mining for coal, both legal and illegal, is destroying not just the forest,
but also the wildlife, part from the livelihoods of the local tribal communities.
Between 2001 and 2003 some 7,900 ha of dense forests were lost in the East and
West Singhbhum districts. Saranda too has been affected, and further degradation will
have serious consequences for its considerable biodiversity.

SOCIAL HAZARDS

The natural wealth of this area contrasts vividly with the desperate poverty of the people who
inhabit it. This region has been far the ages and the homeland of aboriginal races such as the
Mundas, Asurs, Santhals, Oraons, Ho, Kharias etc. These indigenous groups have been the
worst hit by the large scale exploitation of the natural resources of the region through the
development of mines, industries and commercial exploitation of forests. The majority of
them live in a state of semi-starvation through out the year. For centuries the indigenous
people of Jharkhand lived in harmonious relationship with their environment. They have
developed a culture which is closely related to nature. Since their lives are closely related to
nature, any adverse impact on the environment in which they live will adversely affect their
lives also, and vice-versa. The large-scale exploitation of the natural resources of the region
through the development of mines, industries, etc, has adversely affected the indigenous
people at Jharkhand. They are systematically and methodically being dispossessed of the
ownership of their means of production, of the products of their labour and of the very means

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of human existence. They are dispossessed of their political autonomy and their communities
broken up in the name of 'development' for 'national interest'.

 The large-scale mining and allied activities going on in the Jharkhand have caused
severe damage to the land resources of the area. Vast areas of rich forests and
agricultural lands belonging to the indigenous people have been laid waste because of
haphazard mining. Underground mining operations, especially of coal, have created
unsafe surface conditions in many areas warranting diversion of roads, railway lines,
etc, and the shifting of a number of townships. Over 49 localities have been declared
unsafe for human habitation in the Raniganj coalfield alone.

 Land Alienation and displacement: The indigenous people are separated from their
land which is very source of livelihood for them and also no alternative source of
income is being provided by the government. But due colonial exploitation of their
territory, a number of them have been illegally dispossessed of their land. Many have
been forced to leave their homes to work in the brick kilns and stone quarries of north
Bihar, West Bengal, UP, Punjab and other places as contract and even bonded
labourers. In year between 1981 and 1985, the Central Coalfields acquired 1,20,300
acres of land. Similarly, Eastern Coalfields has acquired about 30,000 acres during the
Sixth Plan period. More than 32,750 families have been displaced. But Coal India
could offer jobs only to 11 901 displaced people.

 The rapid development of open cast coal mining in the North Karanpura Valley in
Hazaribagh and Chatra Districts of Jharkhand is destroying the resources of food and
water of the original inhabitants of these areas, mainly Adivasis (indigenous people),
of more than 200 villages. The region has extremely fertile land which is now being
converted into a mining site, taking away vital farming land and forests, and polluting
the Damodar River, which is the lifeline of the area. This means a gross violation of
the Adivasis’ right to food – and hunger and malnutrition for them in the future. These
projects will have a major impact: This will ultimately destroy over 1,100 sqkm of
land and forest. The vast majority of these mining projects are open cast mines. A
mine producing 40 million tonnes of coal in its lifetime (~15 years) leaves a scar
about 25 sqkm in area. Consequently, in a heavily populated country such as India,

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 displacement of people is inevitable. As a result, the economic, social and cultural
survival of the local population in over 200 villages will be severely endangered.

 Lack of livelihood opportunities is forcing hundreds of poor Dalits into illegal coal
mining in the state – Jharkhand. Illegal Coal mining further worsening the situation.
In Jharkhand there are many mines which are owned by private owners and who
carries the activities in a manner which is hazardous because means used in mining
are dangerous for environment. Illegal coal mining is widespread in Jharkhand,
India’s largest coal producer state. An estimated 7,20,000 tonnes of coal is smuggled
every year in the state. Most of it is controlled by an organized syndicate of coal
mafia which employs poor Dalits to get the coal out of the ground.

 A new type of internal colonialism is being unleashed on them by the ruling classes of
the country. The new liberalisation policy of the government and the opening of the
mining sector to private concerns and multi-national corporations will lead to further
destruction of the area by these vested interests the people will be forced to abandon
or alienate their lands and move out places.

CHAPTER 4
CSR IN COAL MINING
It is rather difficult to decide what to do when it comes to the issue of coal mining. It view
from a utilitarian standpoint, officially utilitarianism strives to maximize utility and net
benefits for the greatest number. On the side of the coal miners, it would seem that coal
mining is a huge source of benefits. Not only does it provide an unbelievable amount of jobs,

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but it keeps the economies of several states afloat. If coal mining were to stop the economy
would be crushed unless immediately replaced with some other form of profit.
Environmentalists, however, would argue that if we really wanted the most benefits for the
most people we ought to perhaps think about more long-term issues with coal mining. To
start, they would argue that in the end, the serious health problems stemming from coal
mining and the money that goes into caring for those affected would be greatly reduced if
coal mining were reduced as well. They also might argue that the environmental damage is
too great and that it would benefit us all to have a healthier living environment. Finally
despite bringing in the money with which to build a living, it seems that that money would
just go back into paying for medical treatment of coal-aggravated illness, and home care
issues when the house and land has been tainted by coal mine runoff.

The term Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) includes environmental, social, and
human rights-based impacts and initiatives of companies and many countries in both
industrialised and the third world take the concept and practices seriously. 9 CSR is playing an
increasingly significant role in companies’ narratives and practices, particularly in the case of
mining. The international prominence of CSR in mining can be traced to mining’s potentially
significant negative social and environmental impacts, and the related criticism levied at
mining companies from governments, NGOs, and local community organizations. 10 CSR also
plays a special role in mining because of the inherent finiteness of the resource body and the
environmental and social impacts related to mine closure.

The reasons for corporate environmental and social reporting are rooted in Agenda 21,
adopted by the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development at Rio in
1992.11 This calls for a number of actions by industry to work towards sustainable
development.
During the recent phase of globalisation mining companies have contributed towards
improved social development, through providing jobs, building an industrial base, paying
taxes, earning foreign exchange, they have also been linked publicly to interference in
sovereign affairs, deepening disparities in wealth, poor labour conditions, corruption, transfer

9
Hopkins, M. 2003. The Planetary Bargain: Corporate social responsibility comes of age. London: Macmillan
Press.
10
Banerjee, S.P. 2004. Social Dimensions of Mining Sector.IE(I) Journal-MN. 85():5-10.
11
http://www.un.org/documents/ga/res/spec/aress19-2.htm

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pricing, pollution incidents, health and safety failings, and the disrespect of human rights. 12
Many corporate policies of global mining industry now explicitly address broader social
justice objectives, local and indigenous employment, security and human rights, sustainable
livelihoods, culture and heritage, the need for undertaking social impact assessments, ethical
procurement and stakeholder and/or community consultation. Many international mining
companies now regularly hire social scientists, anthropologists and even gender specialists,
for advice on good practices for integrated management of social and environmental issues
around their mine sites.13

Business and industry have come into existence to promote social growth and social good.
They draw resources from the society and add values to generate wealth. Hence, society and
business are interdependent and business must take full account of societal expectations. A
stable social environment is a pre-requisite for business investment and industrial operations.
So industry needs to facilitate such environment by taking care of the concerns of the society.
This is what many coalfields industries has started following in order to minimise the adverse
impact of mining.

CSR in Coal India Ltd.

The major objectives of CSR policy in CIL are:

 To initiate voluntary measures addressing social and environmental concerns of
stakeholders particularly in command area of CIL.
 To make CSR a key business process for sustainable development.
 To subscribe to the principles of Global Compact for its implementation in CIL.
 To be a good Corporate Citizen.

IMPORTANT MEASURES ADOPTED BY CIL

Coal India Limited implemented the Environmental and Social Mitigation Project (ESMP) in
25 selected opencast mines with World Bank funding during 1996 to 2002. Environmental
12
Warhurst, A. 1998. Corporate Social Responsibility and the Mining Industry. Presentation to Euremines. June
4th, Brussels.
13
Lahiri-Dutt, Kuntala. 2007. Illegal Coal Mining in Eastern India:Rethinking Legitimacy and Limits of Justice.
Economic and Political Weekly. 42(49):57-66.

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and Social Mitigation Project (ESMP) aimed to mitigate adverse effect of coal mining on
environment and people affected by such activities. ESMP consisted of two components:14
Environmental component - implemented through Environmental Action Plan (EPA).
Social component - implemented through Rehabilitation Action Plan (RAP) and
Indigenous Peoples’ Development Plan (IPDP).implemented through Rehabilitation
Action Plan (RAP) and Indigenous Peoples’ Development Plan (IPDP).

ENVIRONMENTAL MEASURES

Air Pollution Control Measures

 Water spraying on haul roads by mobile and fixed sprinklers: The coal transport road
was covered under water spraying scheme either with the help of road side static
water sprinklers or mobile sprinklers.
 Dust extractors in the Coal Handling Plants and drilling equipment: All the excavation
drills have been equipped with dust extractors.
 Black topping of service roads: The coal transportation roads have been black topped
with arrangement of collection of the coal dusts and removing the same periodically.
Besides, the coal transportation contractors have been cautioned not to overload the
truck which may cause spillage generating dusts due to crushing by running trucks.
 Avenue plantation: Forest Department has been engaged for plantation on roadsides
besides plantation on the OB dumps and other empty lands.
 Dust masks: The excavation equipment operators have been issued with dust masks.

Water Pollution Control Measures

 Industrial effluent treatment plants: Effluent Treatment Plants (ETPs) have been
constructed in the down flow line of the workshop as well as mine discharges so that
pollution parameters in the effluents are well within acceptable norm. Many of the
mines could reach the ‘zero discharge’ arrangement targeted for.

14
http://www.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/files/Mitigating%20Environmental%20and%20Social%20Impacts
%20of%20Coal%20Mining%20in%20India.pdf

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  Silt arrestors/ Siltation ponds/ Sedimentation ponds: Catch drains terminating at
sedimentation ponds have been constructed garlanding the OB dumps to arrest flow
of silts to the rivers/ canals.
 Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs): STPs have been constructed to take care of the
domestic effluents in all the mine colonies of the project replacing the conventional
safety tanks. The treated effluents are being utilized for dust suppression and being
supplied to the aggreeable villagers for irrigation.

Noise & Ground Vibration Control Measures

Following actions are adopted to keep the noise level within the statutory limit in day as well
as nighttime:
 Use of Controlled blasting techniques.
 Green belts around colonies and mine areas.
 Proper maintenance of heavy Earth Moving Machinery.
 Issue of earmuffs to the excavation workmen.

SOCIAL MEASURES

Mining-induced displacement and resettlement (MIDR) increased substantially since the

1970s as the country’s coal production shifted from underground to opencast mining. The
issue has gone beyond economics and environment, MIDR is creating a pattern of “gross
violation of human rights,” and “enormous trauma in the country.” In middle 90’s,
Resettlement and Rehabilitation (R&R) Policy of CIL had been designed to ensure that
affected people improve or at least regain their former standard of living and earning capacity
after a reasonable transition period.
It has implemented through Rehabilitation Action Plan (RAP) and Indigenous Peoples’
Development Plan (IPDP).implemented through Rehabilitation Action Plan (RAP) and
Indigenous Peoples’ Development Plan (IPDP).

 Rehabilitation Action Plan (RAP) includes Shifting of villagers affected by mining,

Resettlement and rehabilitation of project affected families (PAFs) by giving a plot of
land in well developed resettlement sites or a lumpsum package to settle at a place at
their choice. The PAPs are also trained in different trades for their economic
rehabilitation.

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  Indigenous People Development Plan (IPDP) villages falling within one kilometer
area from the leasehold of the mines are considered. Activities under IPDP includes:
a. Development of Community infrastructure like School Building, Community
Hall, Dispensary Building, Village Roads, School Furniture, Wells, Tube
wells etc.
b. Community Activities like Mahila Mandal, Youth Club Self Help Groups,
Sports, Cultural Programmes etc.
c. Training & Capacity Building, Training for self-employment, Non-formal
Education etc.

CHAPTER 5
CONCLUSION

Coal would continue to serve as the primary energy source, as India is endowed with
considerable coal reserves but with limited oil and gas resources. However, the increased

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demand would result in increased coal mining and consequently the concern over its
environmental and social impacts. From the preliminary survey to final consumption stage,
coal mining affects environment through land degradation, de-forestation, pollution of both
surface and underground water regimes, air pollution, noise, vibration and its effect on plants
and wild life. The intensity of mining impact largely depends on the method of mining, stage
and size of the operation. Surface mining, in particular, causes severe damage on the
environment. Even though subsidence and mine safety are important factors affecting
underground mining, it does not have any of the adverse effects on environment. Hence
choice of technology becomes crucial for guaranteeing the protection of the environment.
The negative impact of mining on health, land, water, air, plants and animals, and other
aspects of society can be reduced by careful planning and implementation of mining. The
mining industries must fulfil responsibilities towards society and environment. The proper
disclosures should be made in their reports regarding the various measures adopted by them
to minimise the impcact.
Even though mining brings in its wake several disasters, it is also beneficial to society. It is
essential to strike a balance between mineral developments on the one hand and the
restoration of the environment on the other.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coal_mining_in_India
 http://coal.nic.in/abtcoal.htm
 http://www.mbendi.com/indy/ming/coal/as/in/p0005.htm

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 http://miningtopnew.blogspot.com/2010/01/india-coal-mining.html
 http://www.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/files/Mitigating%20Environmental%20and
%20Social%20Impacts%20of%20Coal%20Mining%20in%20India.pdf
 Hopkins, M. 2003. The Planetary Bargain: Corporate social responsibility comes of
age. London: Macmillan Press.
 Banerjee, S.P. 2004. Social Dimensions of Mining Sector.IE(I) Journal-MN. 85():5-
10.
 Business for Social Responsibility. 2007. Emerging Trends in Corporate Social
Responsibility in the Mining Industry. PDAC Short Course, Toronto. March2-3.

 http://www.un.org/documents/ga/res/spec/aress19-2.htm
 Warhurst, A. 1998. Corporate Social Responsibility and the Mining Industry.
Presentation to Euremines. June 4th, Brussels.
 Lahiri-Dutt, Kuntala. 2007. Illegal Coal Mining in Eastern India:Rethinking
Legitimacy and Limits of Justice. Economic and Political Weekly. 42(49):57-66.

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