Mines and washeries of Coal India Ltd (CIL) and its subsidiaries take all necessary safeguards as per Environmental Management Plan (EMP) approved by Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) to prevent pollution to rivers, streams etc. This information was given by the Minister of State for Coal, Shri Pratik Prakash Bapu Patil in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.
MOS coal said that the officials of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and the State Pollution Control Boards (SPCB) periodically inspect the rivers and streams at the mine water discharge points. Officials of MoEF also inspect at different interval. The quality of rivers and streams are regularly monitored as per the monitoring norms laid down by the Pollution Control Board / MoEF and quarterly monitoring data are submitted to the statutory bodies.
Shri Patil futher said that the subsidiary companies of Coal India Ltd. take various steps as per EIA/EMP and as per conditions of Environmental Clearances granted and some of the measures are as follows:
– Pumped out water from mine is discharged into settling ponds before releasing into natural drainage channels after necessary treatment. Workshop effluents are treated in Workshop Effluent treatment Plant (Oil& Grease traps) and the domestic effluents from housing colonies are also treated in domestic effluent plants. Water from effluent treatment plants & oil and grease traps are re-cycled for industrial uses like dust suppression, washing of HEMMs, gardening etc. Discharge of all mine water confirms to the prescribed standards.
– All washeries operate on closed water circuit with zero discharge.
– Most of opencast dewatering pumps are installed on floats as a result the sumps are also working as settling tank.