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Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) report on coal mining
Why is it in News?
- CSE investigation published in the organisation-owned magazine Down To Earth (DTE).
Findings of report:
- Currently India was not utilising its existing capacity fully.
- 67% of the mines auctioned since 2015 are not operational yet.
- From 2015-2020, the government tried to auction 112 mines, but succeeded in only 42 cases.
- Several potential coal reserves are located in dense forests particularly in Chattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh.
- Since 2015, of the 49 blocks cleared for coal mining, nine were-
(1) in ‘No-Go’ areas, or
(2) regions that were once classified by the Ministry as containing very dense forests and hence closed to coal mining.
- In 2020, of the 41 blocks put up for auction, 21 feature in the original No-Go list
- Our forests are where our coal reserves are — forests and coal are intrinsically linked in India.