Download assignment on enviromental law, detail study of coal mining in india and more Assignments Environmental Law in PDF only on Docsity!
NATIONAL GREEN TRIBUNAL
CENTRAL ZONAL BENCH
BHOPAL
WINTER INTERNSHIP 2018
TOPIC: - COAL MINING IN INNDIA
SUBMITTED BY
SUBMITTED TO:
KAUSHAL SHARMA
Mr. Sanjay Shukla KUNAL MEHTO Registrar DRISHTI YADAV NGT, CZB, Bhopal SONAL KUSHWAH SURYA DEV BHANDARI YAJUR THAKUR
ABSTRACT
The environmental challenges from coal mining include coal mine accidents, land subsidence, damage to the water environment, mining waste disposal and air pollution These are either environmental pollution or landscape change. A conceptual framework for solving mine environmental issues is proposed. Clean processes, or remediation measures, are designed to address environmental pollution. Restoration measures are proposed to handle landscape change. The total methane drainage from 56 Chinese high methane concentration coal mines is about 101.94 million cubic meters. Of this methane, 19.32 million, 35. million and 6.97 million cubic meters are utilized for electricity generation, civil fuel supplies and other industrial purposes, respectively. About 39% of the methane is emitted into the atmosphere. The production of coal mining wastes can be decreased 10% by reuse of mining wastes as underground fills, or by using the waste as fuel for power plants or for raw material to make bricks or other infrastructure materials. The proper use of mined land must be decided in terms of local physical and socio-economic conditions. In European countries more than 50% of previously mined lands are reclaimed as forest or grass lands. However, in China more than 70% of the mined lands are reclaimed for agricultural purposes because the large population and a shortage of farmlands make this necessary. Reconstruction of rural communities or native residential improvement is one environmental problem arising from mining. INTRODUCTION Coal is a pre-dominant source of energy in India and has contributed significantly to the rapid industrialization of the country. The importance of cod in the energy basket of India stems from the belief of its relative abundance vis-a-vis other energy sources and current non viability of large scale implementation of several of the alternate sources of energy. Coal currently accounts for 55% of India’s total energy consumption, and according to most projections, it will remain the most viable fuel for driving sustained economic growth for many years to come (see TERI and PSA 2006; MoC 2005 and Planning Commission 2005). Accordingly, affordable and sustainable supply of coal is inextricably linked to the goal of ensuring energy security for India. About 75% of total coal consumed in the country is used for power generation. Other end-use industries include cement, iron and steel, fertilizers, chemicals, etc. India is currently the third largest producer of coal, and contributes 8% of the total coal production in the world (IBM 2012). Coal mining in India constitutes a share of 80% in the total mining, with the rest 20% distributed among vanous raw materials such as gold, copper, iron, lead, bauxite, zinc, etc. The coal industry, in 2007, had a turnover of Rs. 340 billion, which was around 1.2% of the GDP The current gross geological coal resources are estimated at 286 billion tonnes (IBM 2012) and if these estimates are correct, coal supply should be sufficient to meet India’s demand for at least the next hundred years. However, these estimates do not take into account technical, economic, and geological constraints associated with coal mining. Not all of this overestimated coal is technically and economically feasible to mine. According to Batra and Chand (201]), the estimated coal resources include coal that is inaccessible as it hes in protected areas or beneath forests, villages, towns, or water bodies, and even includes coal that has been extracted and burnt during the past 200 years (estimated at about |0 billion). It also includes coal lying at a depth of 1200 m, whereas mining, of coal, either currently or in the near future, is not likely to go beyond 300 m. Also, before nationalization, almost all cod
came from underground mines which had low recovery rates. Once these mines were closed due to exhaustion, the leh over coal was sterilized but is still included in the resource eStimation. Role of National Green Tribunal National Green Tribunal Act, 2010 is an Act of the Parliament of India which enables creation of a special tribunal to handle the expeditious disposal of the cases pertaining to environmental issues. It draws inspiration from the India's constitutional provision of Article 21 , which assures the citizens of India the right to a healthy environment.The legislated Act of Parliament defines the National Green Tribunal Act, 2010 as follows, "An Act to provide for the establishment of a National Green Tribunal for the effective and expeditious disposal of cases relating to environmental protection and conservation of forests and other natural resources including enforcement of any legal right relating to environment and giving relief and compensation for damages to persons and property and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto". The National Green Tribunal has cancelled the clearance given by the then Union Environment and Forests Minister, Jairam Ramesh, to the Parsa East and Kante-Basan captive coal blocks in the Hasdeo-Arand forests of Chhattisgarh, overruling the statutory Forest Advisory Committee. The blocks requiring 1,989 hectares of forestland fell in an area that the government had initially barred as it was considered a patch of valuable forest and demarcated as a ‘no-go’ area. In a landmark order passed on April 17 2015, the tribunal issued an interim ban on rat-hole coal mining and transportation of the mineral in the Meghalaya. The order came as a bolt from the blue but it was one of the events, which wobbled Meghalaya to the core. The Bhopal bench of the National Green Tribunal in a judgement in Original Application No. 16/2013 (CZ) observed ‘mining is required to be taken up only if it is compatible with the objective of protecting the environment’ It has directed constitution of a high level committee so that ‘Necessary penal action shall be initiated against those ML (Mining Lease) holders who were found violating the provisions of Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 as well as the ML conditions and Forest Act’, and examine whether the mines require ‘cumulative Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) study and then only granting EC under cluster approach as envisaged in EIA Notification, 2006’. HISTORY OF COAL MINING The history of coal mining goes back thousands of years. It became important in the Industrial Revolution of the 19th and 20th centuries, when it was primarily used to power steam engines, heat buildings and generate electricity. Coal mining continues as an important economic activity today. Compared to wood fuels, coal yields a higher amount of energy per mass and can often be obtained in areas where wood is not readily available. Though it was
loss of forests for coal mining, communities dependent on these forest resources lose their traditional sources of livelihood Air pollution For too long the coal industry has used our atmosphere like an open sewer for its airborne pollution. These emissions fuel climate change, but they also pose a serious threat to our health and environment These threats include smog. acid rain, toxic mercury. and fine particles that embed deep in our lungs. By breaking free from coal, we can fight both air pollution and climate change. The shih to 100 percent clean, safe renewable energy will be a huge double win for the health of people and our planet About airborne pollutants from coal plants Burning coal is the biggest single source of carbon dioxide emissions from human activity. But coal power plants emit many harmful pollutants into the air, including: sulphur dioxide (S02) nitrogen oxides (NOx) particulate matter (PM) various trace metals including mercury (Hg) Once these pollutants enter the air from cool plant stacks they can disperse and cause harm over large areas. Burning coal leads to acid rain and smog Coal power plants release large amounts of sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides. Nitrogen oxides are greenhouse gases. but these pollutants also react with organic compounds to form smog (ground level ozone). Harmful to our health. smog increases risk of asthma, lung damage and premature death It also damages plants, making them vulnerable to disease and extreme weather. Nitrogen oxides and sulphur dioxide also contribute to acid rain. When these pollutants mix with water, oxygen, and other chemicals in the air, they form nitric and sulphuric acid The resulting acid rain can spread over a wide area, killing fish and plants. In forests, acid rain damages tree leaves and strips nutrients from soils. Coal burning releases toxic mercury
Globally, coal-fired power plants are the largest single source of mercury emissions. They release over half of the mercury pollution from human activity. Mercury is a neurotoxin; it has hamtful effects on the brain and nervous system. By breaking free from coal, we can fight both air pollution and climate change. The shin to 100 percent clean. safe renewable energy will be a huge double win for the health of people and our planet Coal burning releases toxic mercury Globally, coal-fired power plants are the largest single source of mercury emissions. They release over half of the mercury pollution from human activity. Mercury is a neurotoxin; it has harmful effects on the brain and nervous system. Mercury released from power plants settles into the environment, spreading into groundwater and entering the food chain via algae. From there It infects all life, from minnows to fish that prey on them, and on to fish-eating birds and mammals. Passing ii'om lower to higher levels of the food chain, mercury concentrations increase. Particle pollution hurts our lungs Also called particulate matter, or PM, particle pollution is possibly the most harmful emission from coal power plants. These very small unburned pollution particles released directly from coal plant smokestacks cause an estimated 800,000 premature deaths each year. When inhaled, particle pollution can have wide-ranging and harmful health effects, including asthma attacks, lung tissue damage, stroke, heart attack and premature death.
Particles 2.5 microns (Pit/12.5) or smaller can penetrate deep into the lungs, and caused five percent of global deaths, making this the sixth leading global risk ihctor in 2013, according to the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study. The first analysis on death and disease due to coal power plants in India estimates 80,000 to 115,000 people died prematurely in a single year due to particle pollution 10 microns in size (PMl0). Research co-authored by Greenpeace in China shows that PM2.5 pollution from the 196 coal-fired power plants in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei capital region caused 9,900 premature deaths and nearly 70,000 outpatient visits or hospitalizations during 20“. Seventy-five percent these premature deaths were caused by Hebei province's 152 coal-End power plants. Environmental problems of underground coal mining in India
Carbon are added to the general body of air. The concentration of these hostile gases often creates a little impact over the surface and the population nearby. With the latest realization about the impact of these green house gases over the Ozone layer has drawn the attention of the global community and efforts are made on to drain methane and put it to use as a fuel. The biodiversity and the local populace are also disturbed by the mining activities though they were mostly underground Measures to control dust The concentration of dust in the presence of moisture underground has shown decreasing trend because of agglomeration of the suspended particulate matter. The use of scrubber at different critical points as such could suppress the dust generation and dispersal. Even in the case of conventional loading of the blasted coal. Water spraying has been practiced to control the dust in Indian mines. The system is quite popular in case of continuous miners and transfer points of the conveyors. The water infusion in the coal seam and spraying of water during cutting has been practiced for dust suppression. Plain water or water mixed with surfactants and polymers has been injected into dry low volatile coal seams to reduce the dust generation in the India. The surfactant in very low dilution improved the dust suppression by 15 to 20% compared to plain water. The best arrangement appeared to have one spray behind each cutting bit that provided 4 liters/minute of water at 1-2 MPa*. Hydro jet cutting in shearer has been a common practice to reduce the dust generation during fast cutting of coal at high productive faces. Noise pollution due to mining activities The noise is now being recognized as a major health hazard; resulting in annoyance. Cases of Partial hearing loss and even permanent damage to the inner ear after prolonged exposure are noticed. The problems of underground are of special importance because of the acoustics of the confined space. The ambient noise level of the underground mining area is affected by the operation of the cutting machines, tub/conveyor movement and blasting of the coal. The movement of coaling machines and transport units-conveyor, tubs and transfer points caused audible noise which becomes disturbing underground because of the poor absorption by the walls.
The most noise generating equipments in underground are the haulage, ventilators-main, auxiliary and forcing fans, conveyor transfer points, cutting and drilling machines. The ambient noise level due to different operations in underground mines varies within 80- dB (A). In Raniganj and Jharia coal field, the noise level near fan house, conveyor system shearer and road headers is reported to be within 92-93 dB (A). The degree of pollution is increased in many Indian mines due to poor maintenance of the machines, which sometimes exceed the permissible limit of 90 dB (A) for 8 hours per day exposure. The transfer points of the coal underground were the main point of the noise menace. The result of a noise survey for a coal mine conducted by DGMS†^ is summarized in the following table, which indicates noise over 90 dB by the drills, breaking and crushing units and transport system underground. Impact of underground mining on surface domain Most of the leases acquired for the mining purpose are interior barren land, agricultural farms, or government controlled fallow and forest cover. The development of the underground mining establishments, residential complex and civic amenities required nearly 10% of the total lease area which has to be restored at the cost of forest, farms, or fallow land (Dhar, 2000). These lands are used for the common facility development with the marginal disturbance to the soil cover and green carpet. However the naturalized biological genes of the mining area are driven out or disturbed with the human settlement, noise nuisance has been created by heavy vehicles and construction of jungle of concrete. With the clearing of the exotic plants, the natural plant succession of the area is hindered and the loss of the green cover followed soil erosion. The non mining activities like burning of coal in open stock, active fires and road transport of the coal have added a new dimension to the atmospheric pollution in this region. The sources of pollution associated with underground mining are summarized as follows: Change in land use pattern and land depredation. Ground Vibration with blasting. Suspended particulate in the atmosphere. Noise and vibration menace due to mining and vehicular movement.
The land of Jharia coalfield is under regular threat because of mining operation; failure of pillars and stocks, pillar crushing and advancing fire in adjacent pockets. The story of Raniganj coalfield is in no way different where nearly 4000 He of land subsided up to the year 2010. The impact of underground coal mining in terms of loss of agricultural land is estimated to be nearly 1000 He in Jamuria, Asansol and Kulti blocks of Raniganj coalfield until today. Water pollution due to mining activity The hydraulic cycle starting from ocean to sky and ultimately precipitation to the earth is no exception for the coalfield where the rain, natural moisture and surface to subsurface water sustain biodiversity of the region. The infiltrated water is charged to the coal measure aquifers and is retained by the aquiclude or aquifuge. Depending upon the thickness, porosity, permeability and storage coefficient of the rock mass, the capacity of the aquifers varies extensively over Damodar valley to Pench Kanhan coalfields. The coal seams are known to be impervious, restricted the cross infiltration when different layers charges along the exposure serves as the confined aquifers. The extraction of the coal has followed disturbance of the aquifers and lowering of the water table. In this process mineral leaching occurs, affecting the water quality of underground. The water pollution problems in mining may be broadly classified into the following four major heads Acid mine drainage due to sulfur content Deoxygenating and Eutrophication of coal Hardness of water due to leached Heavy metal pollution oil, tan and grease mixing in water The mine effluents have high level of dissolved chlorides, nitrates, phosphates or sulfates of sodium, calcium magnesium and iron. At low levels, nitrates, and phosphates act as nutrients, causing rapid growth of algae and subsequent deoxygenating while at higher level, the character of the water is altered with deleterious effect over the fishes. The bicarbonates, sulfates, chlorides and calcium and magnesium cause hardness of the water and make it unsuitable for industrial and human consumption. involved in the total land degradation. The sample survey presented earlier shows that agricultural land has generally been 18–55 percent of land degraded in a project. The quantum of agricultural land involved increases with mining entering into a relatively new area, whereas when the project is on an area where mining activities are already in full swing, the quantum of agricultural land involved may be smaller. A reasonable estimate may be that 35–40 percent of the total land involved may be
agricultural land, which means around 10,000 hector of agricultural land may be involved in the Raniganj coalfield during the process of mining up to 2010. The total land use pattern in the coalfield has never been verified in Raniganj coalfield though some aerial survey data is available for Jharia coalfield.
