INDIAN GEOGRAPHY

Detailed explanation-1: -Sudden growth in electricity demand While domestic coal production for FY22 registered 8.55% year-on-year growth at 777 million tonnes (MT), 4 there is still a coal shortage at power plants. As on 1 June 2022, out of 165 coal-based power plants, 100 are running at critical coal stock.

Detailed explanation-2: -The environmental challenges from coal mining include coal mine accidents, land subsidence, damage to the water environment, mining waste disposal and air pollution. These are either environmental pollution or landscape change.

Detailed explanation-3: -It accounts for 55% of the country’s energy need. The country’s industrial heritage was built upon indigenous coal. Commercial primary energy consumption in India has grown by about 700% in the last four decades.

Detailed explanation-4: -Unscientific mining practices adopted by some of them and poor working conditions of labour in some of the private coal mines became matters of concern for the Government. On account of these reasons, the Central Government took a decision to nationalise the private coal mines.