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Mining industry

Civil Society Groups Urge Halt to Namchik-Namphuk Coal Mining in Arunachal Pradesh

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Five civil society and community-based organizations from Kharsang in Arunachal Pradesh's Changlang district have urged the state government to halt mining operations at the Namchik-Namphuk coal block until a fresh public hearing is held. The groups, citing drastic demographic and environmental changes since the last public hearing in 2002, argued that the previous consultation is no longer valid. They have demanded that consent to operate (CTO) should not be granted to Coal Pulz Pvt Ltd (CPPL), the current leaseholder, without a new public consultation in accordance with the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification, 2006.

Key Takeaways:

  • Five civil society and community-based organizations from Kharsang in Arunachal Pradesh's Changlang district have urged the state government to halt mining operations at the Namchik-Namphuk coal block.
  • The groups cited drastic demographic and environmental changes since the last public hearing in 2002, arguing that the previous consultation is no longer valid.
  • The organizations demanded that consent to operate (CTO) should not be granted to Coal Pulz Pvt Ltd (CPPL) without a new public consultation in accordance with the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification, 2006.
  • The current application for CTO by CPPL is based on a revised mining plan that differs significantly from the 2003 version, raising fresh concerns.
  • The new mining plan proposes expanded land use for roads and infrastructure, a reduced green belt, altered settling pond configurations, and significantly lowers overburden and topsoil dump volumes.
  • The groups highlighted past violations, including the extraction of over 1.73 million tons of coal beyond the approved mining area and without a mine closure plan.
  • The groups have stressed two core demands: holding a new public hearing and ensuring full compliance with the EIA process.
  • The joint appeal emphasized the importance of a transparent and participatory approach to protect the long-term interests of local communities and ecosystems in Changlang district.

Statistics:

  • Over 1.73 million tons of coal were extracted from the Namchik-Namphuk coal block from 2007 to 2021.
  • 8 hectares of toxic, water-filled mining void were left behind as a legacy of mismanagement and non-compliance.
  • The coal block was originally allotted to the state-owned Arunachal Pradesh Mineral Development and Trading Corporation Ltd (APMDTCL) but was reallocated to Coal Pulz Pvt Ltd (CPPL) in 2023.
  • The current application for CTO by CPPL is based on a revised mining plan that differs significantly from the 2003 version.

Sources:

  • "Civil society groups urge halt to Namchik-Namphuk coal mining in Arunachal Pradesh," The Arunachal Times, no date.
  • Memorandum submitted to the union Environment, Forest and Climate Change minister by five civil society and community-based organizations from Kharsang in Arunachal Pradesh's Changlang district, no date.
  • Report published on April 16 last revealing CPPL had approached the Arunachal Pradesh State Pollution Control Board (APSPCB) for CTO without holding a new public hearing, no date.
  • Data from the Central Mine Planning and Design Institute (CMPDI) showing coal extraction from 2007 to 2021, no date.
  • Coal Mines (Special Provisions) Act, 2015.

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