Abstract
Coal has been one of the most important fossil fuels for power generation since the Industrial Revolution and has driven many nations towards industrial development. In the immediate post-independence
years, the geological abundance of coal in India was framed as a boon to indigenous industries and
their development; coal was seen as an important raw material that would ensure the newly independent nation’s industrial self-reliance. Coal, in the form of thermal power generation, has fueled various
critical sectors of the country, ranging from transportation to manufacturing, and has contributed to the
economic growth of the nation. This interconnectedness also underscores the inseparability of coal and
power generation. Over time, there has been an exponential surge in domestic consumption of power,
from fueling industries to lighting up of homes, leading to an increase in demand for coal. Though there
has been a surge of interest and viability of alternative greener energy production in India and globally
through renewable sources, coal is still the go-to raw material, accounting for 73% of the country’s energy generation and 44% of the total energy consumed in 2021 [1]. Similarly, there has been a multifold
increase in the per-capita electric power consumption in recent times, at 637 kWh in 2010 [2], which
is one-fifth the global average, to 1255 kWh in 2021 [3], which is one-third of the global average. The
burgeoning demand from both industries and public use of electricity has driven an increase in power
generation, consequently increasing the demand for coal. While efforts are being made through the
import of coal, there has also been a push to make the nation self-reliant. This has brought about significant reforms by the ministry, such as the opening up of new mines, mechanisation of existing mines,
adoption of technologically advanced tools, and extractive open-pit mining, amongst other measures.
These developments have had social, economic and environmental consequences. Like any other
extractive industry, coal also carries with it a contentious reputation for disrupting the environment in
which it occurs. Coal, its mining in particular, has an indisputable history of disrupting the social fabric,
compromising public health, and disturbing the environmental equilibrium in its surroundings. These
impacts can be profound and extend across generations leaving lasting scars on the landscape. The
collateral damage caused by coal mining ranges from severe environmental issues such as air pollution,
water contamination, and land degradation to social implications like displacement of indigenous communities, livelihood loss, and disruption of local landscape, all while fueling the development engine of
the nation. This paradoxical nature of extractive mining can be described through the Resource Curse
theory [4], wherein places rich in natural resources often experience economic challenges and political
and social instability (Auty, 1993). This holds for coal mines around the world due to the similar nature of the political economy surrounding coal. In India, the issue is magnified owing to the recent push
towards an increase in indigenous production combined with the fact that coal-rich areas are inhabited
by forest dwellers and people directly or indirectly reliant on land for sustenance. Despite its disruptive
nature, coal mining continues to persist and proliferate due to the economic imperative of employment
provision (however declining) and economic contribution.
The push for an increase in indigenous production of coal, which is aimed at reducing the import,
has forced all the existing mines to expand at an unprecedented pace and has spurred the opening up of
new mines as well. Therefore, the changes happening in the vicinity of mining sites are also happening
swiftly, and there is, thus, a need to keep track and account of them. While the expansion and opening
up of every mine is contingent upon obtaining environmental clearance as part of the Environmental
(Protection) Act 1986, of which the environmental and social impact assessments are a part of [5], many
argue that these assessments lack efficacy and are often unreliable (Lahiri-Dutt, Krishnan & Ahmad,
2014). Moreover, the on-ground changes happening after the operation of a mine, like socio-cultural
changes, cannot be accounted for beforehand and have to be analysed later on. Therefore, research into
the socio-economic and environmental impacts is necessary.
When analysed in-depth, choosing a specific study area will allow for a comprehensive understanding of the socio-economic and environmental dynamics in the context of coal mining. This allows for a
more nuanced understanding of the complexities involved, and by localising the context, a multidimensional, accurate impact assessment can be done [6]. A temporal study of the study area is also viable
in case of context limitation, which would give