GUWAHATI: The Assam government deliberated upon the expansion of coal production and sustainability initiatives with Coal India Limited (CIL) on Wednesday, July 3.
CIL Chairman & Managing Director, PM Prasad, engaged in discussions with Assam’s Chief Secretary, Ravi Kota, at Lok Sewa Bhawan in Guwahati. The focus was on advancing the state's coal production and ensuring sustainable and environmentally friendly practices.
Click here to join our WhatsApp channel
Kota emphasised Assam's commitment to transform the state into a leading source of sustainable coal. This initiative aims to reduce reliance on imported coal and generate employment opportunities.
Currently, Northeast Coalfields Limited (NECIL), a subsidiary of CIL, operates a coal mine in the Margherita sub-division of Tinsukia district. This mine produces two lakh metric tonnes annually.
Plans are underway to increase production to three lakh metric tonnes per annum shortly, with a long-term goal to escalate this to 1.5 million tonnes annually. Kota urged CIL to enhance the livelihoods of the mining workforce through targeted Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives.
He suggested that CIL should identify schools and hospitals in mining regions for infrastructural development, with the district administrations providing necessary support. The meeting also addressed the issue of illegal mining activities.
ALSO READ: Coal Production Touches Over 600 Million Tonne This Year In India
Kota recommended that CIL, in collaboration with local authorities, should take measures to mitigate these activities by understanding and managing area-specific issues, such as local coal intake near extraction sites. Joint inspections of mining areas are proposed to be conducted every fortnight to regulate these practices effectively.
