Jharkhand picks Giridih, Karma coal mines for pilot post-closure repurposing plan
THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK Ranchi, September 3: In a major step towards sustainable post-mining development, the Jharkhand government has selected the Giridih…
THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK
Ranchi, September 3: In a major step towards sustainable post-mining development, the Jharkhand government has selected the Giridih Open Cast Project (OCP) and Karma OCP in Ramgarh district as pilot sites for the scientific rehabilitation and repurposing of coal mines slated for closure.
A consensus was reached at a high-level meeting in Ranchi to recommend both mines to the Government of India under the Technical Cooperation on To-be-Closed Coal Mines (TCCM) project, being implemented in collaboration with the Union Ministry of Coal and German development agency GIZ.
The meeting was attended by senior state government officials, including Mines and Geology Secretary Arva Rajkamal, along with representatives of GIZ, the Coal Controller Organisation, Central Coalfields Limited (CCL) and CMPDI.
Focus shifts from mine closure to productive reuse
Under the initiative, a detailed Final Mine Closure and Repurposing Plan will be prepared for the two selected mines. The plan will assess the potential use of land, water resources, infrastructure and other assets after mining operations cease, besides examining environmental and socio-economic conditions.
The objective is to ensure that mine closure does not simply mark the end of mining activity but creates environmentally safe, socially inclusive and economically productive post-mining assets.
Potential uses of reclaimed mine areas include renewable energy projects, tourism, agriculture, horticulture, fisheries, skill development centres and other economic activities, depending on site-specific feasibility.
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Eight villages identified around Karma OCP
As part of the pilot exercise, eight villages within a five-kilometre radius of Karma OCP—Sugia, Marar, Bongabar, Karma, Kaitha, Kander, Lodhma and Panki—have been identified for socio-economic assessment.
The exercise will examine the socio-economic status of local communities, vulnerable groups and potential livelihood opportunities. A Mine Closure Advisory Committee has also been constituted to facilitate local coordination and participation.
DPR to assess land, water and infrastructure
A detailed Detailed Project Report (DPR) will be prepared covering environmental restoration, future land use, water and mine-void management, infrastructure repurposing and other aspects of post-mining development.
The project will also explore suitable locations for renewable energy projects and other investments, with the aim of creating new employment and livelihood opportunities for people living in mining-affected areas.
The state government said the initiative is aimed at ensuring that mining regions remain productive even after mineral resources are exhausted. It added that the experience from the pilot projects could provide a model for sustainable post-mining development in Jharkhand and other coal-producing regions.
The TCCM project is scheduled to continue until March 2030, with plans to replicate its learnings at other coal mines due for closure across the country.
