Ranchi: The Coal Ministry has advised the
Jharkhand government to see if abandoned opencast mines
could be used as water reservoirs in the drought-prone state.
"(Union coal ministry) told us to ponder over whether
we would like to fill-up and go for plantation on abandoned
opencast mines, which has water, or use it as a reservoir,"
Chief Secretary A K Singh said today.
He was replying to a query on the issue of abandoned
mines during his meeting with Additional Secretary of Union
Coal Ministry, Alok Parti here yesterday.
The state`s opinion had been that coal companies
should extract till the last piece of coal before abandoning
mines, Singh said, but remained non-committal if the state
would like to use them as reservoirs or plantations after
filling them up.
There are several abandoned opencast mines in
Jharkhand`s coal belt, which attract illegal mining and
subsequent mishaps.
All the 24 districts in Jharkhand are reeling under
drought for the last two years following scanty rainfall.
PTI
