Government may fast-track green nod to coal mining projects.

The environment ministry plans to further accelerate clearances of coal mining project by assisting miners with a comprehensive list of information they need to provide while seeking approvals to develop mines.

The ministry has already taken a slew of measures for coal production, the mainstay of India's energy basket. It has eased expansion of coal mines with annual production of 21 million tonnes, put on hold the moratorium on coal mining in clusters with high environmental pollution such as Chandrapur.

It has also reduced the forest area where mining is forbidden. However, the ministry is determined not to dilute its concerns of protecting the environment.

Environment minister Prakash Javadekar told a sustainability conference organised by the CII on Tuesday that even as efforts were being made to ease clearance processes, his ministry intended to make environmental norms more stringent and practical keeping in mind the enormity of the problem and issues involved and industry concerns.


ET