New Delhi: The Ministry of Coal, in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), conducted a comprehensive day-long workshop on environmental and forest clearances for coal mining. The event, held in New Delhi, brought together over 175 officials from various organizations including Coal India Ltd, SECL, BCCL, ECL, NLCIL, SCCL, NTPC, Coal Controller Organisation, private coal companies, and other experts in the coal mining sector.
Secretary of the Ministry of Coal, Amrit Lal Meena, served as the Chief Guest, while Additional Secretary & Nominated Authority of the Ministry of Coal, M. Nagaraju, was the Guest of Honor.
In his opening remarks, M. Nagaraju highlighted the critical need to balance economic benefits with environmental protection, stressing the importance of securing clearances to ensure environmental sustainability. Amrit Lal Meena, in his keynote address, reaffirmed the coal ministry’s commitment to sustainability, pointing to efforts in land restoration and afforestation programs that exceed the areas utilized for mining activities. The coal companies showcased videos illustrating best practices within their organizations during the inaugural session.
Speakers from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change provided comprehensive insights into the regulatory framework, procedural requirements, policy updates, compliance strategies, and best practices for obtaining environmental and forest clearances for coal mining projects. The workshop featured a series of informative sessions and interactive discussions.
Detailed presentations covered various aspects of clearance processes, including Forest Clearance, Environment Clearance, Wildlife Clearance, Accredited Compensatory Afforestation (ACA), Green Credits, and Ground Water Clearance. These were presented by officials from the MoEF&CC and CGWA Board.
