Used Coal Mines to Get New Life: Kishan

Hyderabad: Union minister for coal and mines G. Kishan Reddy on Thursday said that progress was being made in the action plan for reclamation of used and abandoned coal mines in the country and that of the targeted 10 mines for this year, work was completed at eight. “The reclaimed land will be put to use to meet needs of local residents, and grow trees to increase greenery. This reclamation plan follows a suggestion from Prime Minister Narendra Modi who said large tracts of land where coal was mined earlier and was now lying waste, should be reclaimed and put to use for the people,” Kishan Reddy said.

Speaking after a meeting of the consultative committee on the mines department and which was attended by minister of state for coal and mines Satish Chandra Dubey, Kishan Reddy said the needs of the people who lose their livelihoods on account of mine closures, and those who gave up their land for the mining, will be taken into account and this issue will be looked into.

The ongoing exercise of reclamation is being done in a scientific manner and in all there are 143 such locations where this work needs to be taken up and completed, Kishan Reddy added.