The coal block will power India’s energy needs, as we are still highly reliant on fossil fuels; but what about the local people of the area, which is also home to sloth bears, a vulnerable species?
The Mara II Mahan coal block is in Madhya Pradesh, a rich repository of India’s wildlife. Here, a sloth bear sow carries two cubs on her back in the forests of the Satpura National Park, also in MP. Photo for representation. Courtesy: iStock Mara II Mahan coal block, located in the Singrauli Main Basin of Madhya Pradesh, has been given for underground mining to Mahan Energen Limited, a part of the Adani Group.
According to the report by the Mineral Exploration and Consultancy Limited (MECL), a Government of India enterprise under the Union Ministry of Mines, the coal block spans a surface area of 53 square kilometres (sq km), with 90 per cent of this area covered by forest. An area of 18.23 sq km has been classified as a ‘very dense forest’. The dominant tree species is Sal (Shorea robusta).
The report also mentions the presence of sloth bears (Melursus ursinus) in the area. This bear species feeds on fruits, ants and termites. They are categorised as ‘vulnerable’ on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature Red List, mainly because of habitat loss and degradation.
Coal is one of the major fossil fuel-based energy sources in India. The demand for coal as an energy source is increasing in the country. According to the Energy Statistics India Report 2023 by the Union Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), India’s coal demand has consistently been more than its domestic production over the past decade. Presently, the country’s coal demand stands at around 1.23 billion tons while the domestic production of coal is only 964 million tons. The rest 266 million tons are imported. The estimated projection suggests that the demand will continue to increase and in 2030 it may reach up to 1.5 billion tons to 1.9 billion tons.
In response to this increasing demand for coal, new sources such as Mara II Mahan are being tapped into. The Mara II Mahan coal block has an estimated reserve of 955 million tons of coal. With an average grade of 7, 1 kilogram of this coal will yield an energy output of 5,200 to 5,500 kilocalories (KCal). To put this into perspective, Grade 1 coal provides over 7,000 KCal/kg of energy whilst Grade 17 gives less than 2,500 KCal/kg of energy. So, quality-wise, Mara II Mahan coal ranks on the higher end.
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Though India has signed the COP28 agreement and thereby expressed the intention to transition away from fossil fuel-based energy, the country is still highly reliant on fossil fuel-based energy sources. Even though the installed capacity for non-fossil fuel energy production using solar energy, hydropower or wind energy is around 51 per cent, the actual production scenario is different. Fossil fuel-based energy is still meeting 75per cent of the country’s total energy requirement.
Not only does coal burning emit greenhouse gases contributing to climate change, but coal mining itself also inflicts ecological damage. Often, this comes at the cost of displacing local communities, particularly the Adivasis. So, on one hand, our energy demand, and on the other, the ecological and other harms of such projects create a critical dilemma.
Until more robust alternative energy sources are developed through dedicated research, this critical situation is likely to continue.
Dibyendu Chaudhuri works with the Research and Advocacy unit of PRADAN
Views expressed are the author’s own and don’t necessarily reflect those of Down To Earth
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