RANCHI: The Jharkhand government has selected two closed coal mine units in Ramgarh and Giridih districts as pilot sites for scientific rehabilitation and sustainable repurposing, an official said on Thursday.
The two mines are the Giridih Open Cast Project (OCP) and Karma OCP.
The decision to recommend the two mines to the centre was taken at a meeting in Ranchi under the Technical Cooperation on To-be-Closed Coal Mines (TCCM) project, being implemented in collaboration with the union Ministry of Coal and the German development agency GIZ.
A final mine closure and repurposing plan will be prepared for the two mines, focusing on environmental restoration, land use, water and mine-void management, infrastructure reuse and livelihood opportunities after mining operations end.
According to officials, the initiative aims to ensure that mining areas do not become unproductive after the exhaustion of mineral resources but are converted into environmentally safe and economically viable assets.
Reclaimed land could be used for renewable energy projects, tourism, agriculture, horticulture, fisheries, skill-development centres and other livelihood activities.
The high-level meeting was attended by Mines and Geology Department Secretary Arvan Rajkamal, along with representatives of GIZ, the Coal Controller Organisation, Central Coalfields Limited (CCL), and Central Mine Planning & Design Institute (CMPDI).
Eight villages within a five-kilometre radius of Karma OCP, which are Sugiya, Marar, Bongabar, Karma, Kaitha, Kander, Lodhma and Panki, have been identified for socio-economic assessment. The exercise will examine the status of vulnerable sections and explore potential livelihood opportunities.
A Mine Closure Advisory Committee has also been constituted for local coordination.
A detailed project report will subsequently be prepared, covering environmental restoration, land-use planning, water management, mine-void utilisation and repurposing of existing infrastructure. Potential sites for renewable energy and other investments will also be explored.
Officials in the state government said the pilot initiative could provide a model for sustainable post-mining development in Jharkhand and other coal-producing regions.
The TCCM project will continue until March 2030, after which its findings are expected to guide redevelopment efforts at other coal mines slated for closure across the country.