core sector communique

Ban on Mining of Coal





Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) has imposed temporary restriction on environmental clearance for development of projects in 43 industrial clusters in India based on a Comprehensive Environmental Pollution Index (CEPI) score of more than 70. Out of these 43 clusters, following 7 clusters cover the coal bearing areas. This information was given by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Coal and Statistics and Programme Implementations, Shri Sriprakash Jaiswal in written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today.


Sl. No.            Industrial cluster/Area                              CEPI score 

1.                   Chandrapur (Maharastra)                          83.88

2.                   Korba (Chhattisgarh)                                83.00

3.                   Singrauli (Utter Pradesh)                           81.73

4.                   Dhanbad (Jharkhand)                                78.53

5.                   Angul-Talcher (Orissa)                              82.09

6.                    Ib-Valley (Orissa)                                    74.00

7.                    Asansol (West Bengal)                             70.20




Till date, the restrictions have been lifted in 25 out of 43 clusters, out of which only 3 clusters cover coalfield areas namely Singrauli, Angul-Talcher and Ib-Valley. The restrictions in other clusters have been extended up to 30.09.2011.



The Minister said that as per Ministry of Power/Central Electricity Authority out of 811.10 Billion Units of total power generation in the year 2010-11, about 562 Billion Units were generated on the basis of Coal and Lignite and form about 69% of the total power generation. The impact of extending moratorium due to CEPI is not expected to affect power generation since the shortage from domestic production in 2011-12 from Coal India Limited (CIL) is envisaged to be met through liquidation of pit head stocks.



He further added that Ministry of Coal (MoC) had approached MoEF for exemption of coal bearing areas from the purview of these temporary restrictions on Environmental Clearance. However, it was not agreeable to MoEF as a result of which MoC moved a Note for consideration of Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure (CCI). CCI in turn decided to refer the matter for consideration and recommendation of a Group of Ministers (GoM) at the first instance. The GoM has held four meetings in this regard.