Abstract
This review presents a systematic synthesis of the various methods and measures that have been used to investigate the effects of coal mining in India. A total of 87 peer-reviewed articles were collected for each year from 1970 to 2014 using a keyword based search. The articles compiled were analyzed and categorized according to the parameters addressed and the methodological approach adopted. Quantitative analyses were conducted to indicate the gap areas. Results indicate that research concerning air pollution, water pollution, land use pattern and environmental impacts are the best represented while soil, forest and human health are very poorly represented. Land cover change studies have experienced a rapid surge however studies on socio-economic and human health impacts are very few in number. Majority of the studies mostly used remote sensing and change detection techniques. For a genuine and thorough interpretation of coal mining impacts, it is quite important to understand the direct as well as the far-reaching environmental and social consequences of coal mining. This article identifies the areas that have been well documented and primarily it emphasizes the areas that require further research in the Indian scenario.
Highlights
Coal which is commonly called as the black gold of India contributes a major part to its commercial energy production and is widely used in the power industry to generate electricity
The effects on the ecosystems, human health, biological diversity and water environment include some of the effects2
The removal and processing of coal at the mining site and its transportation to a power station distresses the environment2.Various methods have been used to assess the impacts of coal on human health and the environment during its complete life cycle3
Summary
Coal which is commonly called as the black gold of India contributes a major part to its commercial energy production and is widely used in the power industry to generate electricity. The removal and processing of coal at the mining site and its transportation to a power station distresses the environment.Various methods have been used to assess the impacts of coal on human health and the environment during its complete life cycle. The external costs of coal mining and transportation have been attempted in a number of international studies . There is a bulk of research that have studied the cumulative and social impacts of mining, potential health impacts of burning beds, impact on women in Australia, cancer risks as well as carbon and ecological footprints.
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