Phasing out Coal Mining in India: A Complicated, Complex Conundrum

Abstract

Phasing out Coal Mining in India:A Complicated, Complex Conundrum Sindhu Menon (bio) Criticised, condemned, shamed and slammed, India became the talk of the event at the the 26th United Nations Climate Change conference (COP26), held in Glasgow from October 31 to November 12, 2021, for reducing unabated coal usage. Instead of the much deliberated and agreed-upon decision to 'phase-out' the use of coal as an energy resource, the concluding session of the Glasgow climate summit spoke of 'phasing-down' the use of coal. Many-a-country held India responsible for making the pact weaker by introducing the concept of phasing down of coal, jeopardising the stand of the vast majority of members to do away with coal. Although the hidden role of China, US and many other coal producing countries was obvious, the media across the world held India responsible for wilfully delaying the process towards achieving net zero fossil fuel usage. On 17 November 2021, after being blamed for weakening the Glasgow Climate pact, the Indian government clarified India's position by explaining how the whole situation unfolded at COP26. According to the official sources, many countries had objected to the initial text of 'phasing out of coal and fossil fuel subsidies'; later the countries reached a consensus about this, based on which a revised text was framed, with the term 'phase-down' instead of 'phase-out'. Official sources further clarified that it was unfair to blame India for promoting a 'phasedown' when the reality was that the new text the Indian representative read out was based on a request by Alok Sharma, Chair of COP 26. Be it a fair or unfair, being one among those 200 nations, which participated in COP 26, India pledged to cut emissions to net zero by 2070, reduce carbon emissions by one billion tonnes by 2030, and raise the share of renewables in the energy mix to 50 percent. Can India do away with coal easily? Mining of coal began in India in the 18th century and, currently, it is the world's second largest producer and consumer of coal, after China. As of 31 January 2022, the percentage of electricity generated through fossil fuels (coal, lignite, gas, diesel) accounted for was 59.1 percent (235,929 MW), of which coal alone contributed to 51.6 percent (203,900 MW).1 India's current demand for coal—955.26 million tonnes—will go up to 1.3 to 1.5 billion tonnes by 2030, estimates the Economic Survey 2021-22. Despite the fact that the push for other sources of renewable energy is in the forefront, coal continues to be the largest domestic source of energy supply and electricity generation. Is the current coal debate political? The nationalisation of coal mining began in India in the early 70s, after which Coal India Ltd. and its subsidiaries got a monopoly in mining. Amending the Nationalisation Act in 1993 paved the way for private players to enter the sector, and companies mined for coal for their own use in industries such as steel, power and cement. The channels for exploitation of the workers and Earth, thus, became seamless. On 11 January 2021, the Ministry of Coal launched a 'Single Window Clearance Portal', a unified platform that facilitated the grant of clearances and approvals required for starting a coal mine in India. Union Home Minister, Shri Amit Shah, launched the portal in the presence of the Union Minister for Coal and Mines, Shri Prahlad Joshi, in an event organised in New Delhi, to execute agreements with successful bidders of India's first ever commercial coal mine auctions. Addressing the occasion, the Union Minister, Shri Amit Shah, said that the coal sector has crossed an important milestone in fulfilling the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat (Self-reliant India) under the leadership of Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi. He said that the coal sector would play a key role in achieving the target of a 5 trillion dollar economy. Shri Shah said that, for a long time, a need was felt to remove the bottlenecks in the coal sector and bring transparency in it, which has been fulfilled during the Modi government. In January, the...