New Delhi, July 21 (IANS) Building on its sustained efforts to promote responsible mine closure practices, the Ministry of Coal is set to release ‘AAROH – Annual Report on Mine Closure’ on Wednesday. The event will also witness the signing of an agreement with Germany’s Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and the inauguration of Coal NEER Plants.
For the first time since independence, 42 coal mines have been scientifically closed, in accordance with approved mine closure plans. The report presents the transformative journey of these closed mines, showcasing how scientific reclamation, ecological restoration, sustainable post-mining land utilisation, and community-centric interventions have enabled the productive reuse of former mining areas, according to a Coal Ministry statement issued on Tuesday.
The occasion will also mark significant steps towards strengthening institutional partnerships and international cooperation to advance scientific approaches to mine closure and sustainable post-mining land-use practices.
The Ministry of Coal will sign an Implementation Agreement with GIZ to foster technical cooperation on “to-be-closed coal mines.”
This collaboration aims to strengthen institutional capacity, facilitate knowledge sharing, and support the adoption of international best practices in scientific mine closure and post-mining development.
The inauguration of Coal NEER Plants set up by Coal India Limited through its subsidiaries, aimed at strengthening access to safe and sustainable drinking water in coal-bearing regions, will further reinforce this commitment toward community-focused development.
Union Minister of Coal and Mines G. Kishan Reddy will be the Chief Guest at the event, which will also be attended by Bhupender Yadav, Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, and Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology.
Mine closure is a critical stage in the mining lifecycle, encompassing ecological restoration, land reclamation, and the productive repurposing of post-mining sites for community and economic benefit.
Recognising its importance, the Ministry of Coal has, over recent years, developed a series of frameworks, including the RECLAIM Framework for community engagement, L.I.V.E.S. Framework for sustainable mine closure and repurposing, and SUVIKALP (an interactive decision support tool) for assessing mine repurposing options, to guide scientific closure, stakeholder participation, and sustainable land-use planning across the coalfields, the statement said.
Reflecting this evolving approach, the programme will showcase on-ground innovations in mine reclamation, ecological restoration, and community-oriented rehabilitation, with an accompanying exhibition featuring initiatives undertaken by Coal India Limited and its subsidiaries, NLC India Limited, Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL), NTPC, and private mining organisations.
–IANS
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