Env min committee declines minimum depth exemption to coal gasification projects

The Union environment ministry’s expert appraisal committee has declined to grant an exemption to minimum depth for underground coal gasification (UCG) projects in view of environmental impacts.

The ministry of coal had sent a letter to the Union environment ministry seeking relaxation of the minimum depth condition (>300 m) prescribed earlier for pilot-scale Underground Coal Gasification (UCG) projects, specifically in respect of the R&D UCG Pilot Project at Kasta (West) Block of Eastern Coalfields Limited (ECL), Jharkhand, according to minutes of expert appraisal committee’s meeting on February 23.