Environmental impact studies in coalfields in India: A case study from Jharia coal-field

Coal is the major fossil fuel used for power generation in India. For producing more and more coal, mining activities are increasing day by day. Coal mining activities lead to environmental changes to a large extent such as degradation in quality of air, water, soil, changes in landform, land use/land cover and vegetation distribution. Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is therefore important to study the nature and impact of mining activities on the environment. The present study includes a review of the environmental impact studies done on various specific aspects in India, which involve methodologies of field-site investigation, laboratory analysis and satellite data processing. The study could be broadly divided into two parts. Firstly, taking Jharia coal-field as a case study, the parameters/criteria affecting the environment have been identified. The parameters that are the most affected due to mining are air, water, soil, agricultural land, vegetation and, topography. Later, Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) has been used for prioritizing of these parameters/criteria to carry out EIA in Jharia coal-field. Upon analysis, air has been found to be the most affected followed by water, soil, vegetation, agricultural land and topography. Moreover, the alternatives for each parameter/criterion have also been prioritized. The proposed methodology will help in deriving relationships based on field, laboratory and satellite data analysis. Once these relationships are derived, steps could be taken by policy makers for modification of the existing mine policies and incorporating the new measures in future mine planning so as to reduce the impact of coal mining on the environment.