(a) the details of the steps taken/being taken by the
Government to adopt clean coal technology in coal mining;
(b) whether the implementation of such technologies
has been assessed;
(c) if so, the details thereof;
(d) whether any projects in the country have adopted the
clean coal technology; and
(e) if so, the details thereof; State-wise and Union
Territory-wise?
MINISTER OF STATE FOR COAL (SHRI PRATIK PRAKASHBAPU PATIL)
(a): Government has taken various steps including notifying the
activities like Coal Gasification including Underground Coal
Gasification(UCG) and Surface Gasification of coal, Coal Liquefaction,
Washing of coal as one of the end uses under Coal Mines (Nationalisation)
Act 1974 to promote clean coal technologies like coal washing, development
of Underground Coal Gasification(UCG), Surface coal gasification and Coal
Liquefaction or Coal to Liquids(CTL) and to facilitate allotment of blocks
to the potential entrepreneurs. Further, under a separate policy for
development of Coal Bed Methane(CBM)/Coal Mine Methane(CMM) has been
put in place for extraction and exploitation of Methane gas from coal
seams.
(b) & (c): A Govt. of India/United Nations Development Program/
Global Environment Facility funded Coalbed Methane Demonstration &
Utilization project at Moonidih mine of Bharat Coking Coal Ltd.(BCCL)
has been successfully implemented by CMPDI & BCCL, which has proved
the efficacy of the process in the Indian geo-mining conditions. The
methane gas extracted is being used to run 500 KW electricity generation.
Further, Government has already allotted 33 blocks for CBM exploration
and exploitation of which one block has entered into commercial production.
Coal India Ltd.(CIL) has conceived five CMM projects and two UCG projects
in their command area. Further, 20 new washeries have been proposed for
a total raw coal throughput capacity of 111 MTY in CIL. While technology
assessment for coal washing, CBM/CMM, Surface Gasification of coal has
been established, technology for CTL & UCG is yet to be proved in
Indian conditions.
(d) & (e): Yes, Sir. As per the details given in reply to part
(b) & (c) above CIL has adopted CMM project in their BCCL mines at
Moonidih in Jharkhand and also has implemented a number of coal
washery projects particularly in BCCL and Central Coalfields Ltd.
in Jharkhand, Western Coalfields Ltd. in Maharashtra, Northern
Coalfields Ltd. in Madhya Pradesh etc. In addition a number of
washery projects have also been set up in the private sector in
Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Orissa, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh etc.