Environment Management project :

Coal is the most abundant fuel resource in India. It is the primary source of energy and perhaps the largest contributor to the industrial growth of the country. Coal India is the largest coal producing company in the world. I have been to Dhanband in Bihar and saw Open cast coal mine operated by Coal India Limited (CIL).The mining operations like drilling, blasting and transportation are carried out in Open cast mines. These mining operations damage the environment and ecology to an unacceptable degree unless carefully planned and controlled.

The various impacts of mining on environment and their mitigation measures are as follows:

1) Impact of Mining on Air quality: Air pollution in mines is mainly due to fugitive emission of particulate matter and gases including methane and sulphur dioxide, oxides of nitrogen and carbon monoxide. Most of mining operation like blasting, transportation and drilling produces coal dust. Due to this high level of suspended particulate matter increase respiratory disease such as chronic bronchitis and asthma cases while gaseous emissions contribute towards global warming besides causing health hazard to the exposed population.The coal dust not only affects the productivity through poor visibility but also pollute nearby surface water and stunt crop growth by clogging the pores of the plant.

2) Impact of mining on water regime: Mining and its associated activities not only uses a lot of water but also effects the hydrological regime of the Dhanbad District and affects the water quality. The major hydrological impact of a large and

deep open cast mine is on the ground water regime of the region.The water seeping into the mines and collected in the sump is partly used up in mine and the excess water is discharge into the surface drainage system.The water used up in mines for spraying on Haul roads, conveyors at loading and unloading points, bunkers etc are lost by evaporation.The water used for green belts and plantation areas are also lost by evaporation.Therefore large area surrounding the mine is facing the problem of over exploitation of ground water resulting in alarming lowering the water table.Therefore a lot care has to be taken in estimating the water need and the mines of the future are likely to be subjected to a lot constraints on water use and discharge.

3) Impact of coal mine Fire: Coal Mines in Dhanbad are affected by fires leading to the steady destruction of precious energy resource. The reason for the mines fire presumably involves the phenomenon of spontaneous heating through two interrelated process VIZ.. the oxygen coal interaction and the thermal process. If the coal mine fire remain uncontrolled, the fire could spread further through interconnected pathways and fissures in the Strata. Mine fires give rise to several environmental problems beside safety hazards and economic losses. Apart from the direct loss of coal due to burning the other associated hazards are: a)Gas poisoning b)Damage to land c)Explosions d)Difficult geo-mining condition e)Sterlization of coal.