Inside Jharkhand’s Coal Heartland: How CCL is Managing Production, Pollution, and Challenges

Every morning, as Akanksha straps on her helmet and steps into the treacherous depths of the underground Churi Mines of CCL, she is reminded of two things—her childhood passion and the harsh reality of how rare it still is for women to walk this path. Hazaribagh (Jharkhand)-born Akanksha is India’s first female mine engineer.

Jharkhand plays a vital role in India’s total coal production. In 2022-23, it produced 156.5 million tonnes of coal, which is 17.5% of India’s total coal output. Out of this, CCL alone contributed 76.09 million tonnes.

CCL has 35 open-cast mines and three underground mines dotting seven coalfields spread across North and South Karanpura, East and West Bokaro, Ramgarh, Giridih, and Hutar. Churi mines are the highest coal-producing underground coal mine under CCL. Working depth ranges between 80–90 meters, with a hard cover of approximately 70–75 meters. The mine is bounded by two rivers that pass along the east and west sides, namely the Saphi and Damodar rivers, respectively.

“Mining is not an easy task. It comes with immense challenges,” says Akanksha, reflecting on the realities of working deep underground.

“Imagine going 100 metres below the surface, travelling up to three kilometres inside, and working there for six to seven hours. Even with all our safety measures in place, the risks remain. There's always the danger of strata collapsing. Coal, being highly combustible, poses constant fire hazards. Here at the Churi mines, we're surrounded by two rivers; seepage and the risk of flooding are real threats. A single breach can be fatal for the workers inside.” 

Production Push

CCL’s coal production has increased significantly from 68.85 MT in 2021-22 to 87.54 MT in 2024-25. The Coal India subsidiary is also planning to increase output to 150 MT by 2030. The company currently has 4 coking coal washeries and 1 non-coking coal washery.

The company has also announced plans to open four new coal washeries. The new Kathara, Rajrappa, and Dhori washeries will each have a capacity of 3 million tonnes per year. The Basantpur Tapin Washery is expected to handle 4 million tonnes annually, while the New Swang Washery will have a capacity of 1.5 million tonnes.

“India is growing rapidly, and in the current geopolitical climate, it is more important than ever for our country to become self-reliant. In this context, CCL must ramp up its production. Our goal is to join the 100 million tonne club, and we are aiming to achieve a production target of 110 million tonnes this year,” said Nilendu Kumar Singh, CMD, CCL.

The major consumers of Central Coalfields Limited (CCL) are in the Power Sector - 70.66 MT in FY24-25 and the Non-Power Sector - 15.38 MT in FY24-25.

The central government has also taken various initiatives to increase coal production in India, like the enactment of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2021, the Single Window Clearance portal to speed up the operationalisation of coal mines, and the auction of commercial mining on a revenue-sharing model, to decrease

India’s dependency on coal imports. India's total coal imports for the fiscal year 2024-25 were approximately 263.56 million tonnes, whereas in 2023-24, the country's coal import was 268.24 million tonnes.

Green Push

India has set its sights high in the global clean energy race, aiming for 500 GW of non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030. CCL has commissioned a 20 MW solar power plant in Piparwar, which generates 300 lakh units of electricity annually. It has an efficiency of 23%, which has helped the company achieve savings of ₹1 crore.

In addition, a new 4 MW solar project has been launched in Giridih, and land has been identified in the region for setting up a 150–175 MW solar power plant. Implementation of this larger project is expected to begin between February and March next year.

Pollution Problem

Coal is considered to be one of the most polluting fossil fuels. According to the IEA, coal supplies just over a third of global electricity generation despite being the most carbon-intensive fossil fuel. It will continue to play a crucial role in iron and steel production until newer technologies become available.“We want to go from black coal to green coal. CCL has taken various initiatives to reduce pollution during mining and transportation,” said the CMD.

The 7.5 MTPA North Urimari CHP, developed by CCL in the Barka-Sayal Area (Hazaribagh), enables sustainable and efficient coal evacuation by eliminating road transport via diesel tippers. Features include receiving hoppers, crushers, a 20,000-ton storage bunker, and a 4,000-ton silo for direct rail wagon loading, supporting fully mechanised first-mile connectivity.

Further, the closed-loop, dust-free system ensures eco-friendly handling, reduces air and noise pollution, and significantly cuts fossil fuel usage and vehicular emissions. It enhances supply reliability to power plants, reduces road congestion, improves operational safety, and lowers the carbon footprint of coal.