Neeraj Parashar, has presented a case study on Coal Bed Methane Mining in Korba and Raigarh District of Chhattisgarh State, India to draw attention how EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment) Reports are rigged to seek approval for greenfield projects in Ministry of Environment and Forest.

1. Impact of Coal Bed Methane (CBM) Mining on Biodiversity & Climate In Korba & Raigarh District In Chhattisgarh Neeraj Parashar Prtyancha Education & Welfare Society, Bhopal (Research paper read in Feb, 2010, at International Conference on “Land-Water Resources, Biodiversity and Climate Change” at BSSS College, Bhopal)

15. Coal Bed Methane Mining

16. Emission of methane (CH4) Methane emission from coal mining depends on the mining methods, depth of coal mining, coal quality and entrapped gas content in coal seams. An estimate of methane gas emission per tonne of coal production is given in Estimate of methane emission in coal mining [Sou: The climate change Agenda - An Indian Perspective - TERI - 1993] Degree I :A seam in which the inflammable gas in the general body of air at any place in the underground working exceed 0.1% and rate of emission of gas is less than 1 m3 per tonne of coal mined. Degree II :A seam in which the inflammable gas in the general body of air at any place in the underground working exceed 0.1% and rate of emission of gas is less than 1 m3 per tonne of coal mined or rate of emission of gas 1 m3 per tonne or more but less than 10 m3 per tonne of coal mined. Degree III : A seam in which the rate of emission of gas in more than 10 m3 per tonne of coal mined.

22. Information provided in EIA Report on land use pattern 100 1.15 1.3 8 14.5 33.5 42.5 % of Study area in Executive Summary Total Water Bodies Village Pockets Dense Vegetation Agricultural Land Sparse Vegetation Open Space Land Use 100 5.47 river and 1.15 lake 6. 1.92 5. 4.47 4. 15.56 3. 33.63 2. 42.05 1. % of Study Area in EIA S. No.

27. Gas Water (production fluid) Coal Bed

31. Pumping from wells lowers the water table. This area is known as the cone of depression. Groundwater flow is diverted towards the well as it flows into the cone of depression.

32. Stakeholders View – Community Perception

33. Stakeholders View- CBO /NGO

34. Coal Bed Methane Mining – Soil Contamination The major source of water pollution in the coal mines is the carry over of the suspended solids in the drainage system of the mine sump water and storm water drainage. In some of the coal mines, acidic water is also found in the underground aquifers. In addition, waste water from coal preparation plant and mine water are other sources of water pollution.

36. Distress Migration Korba and Raigarh is hotspot of industrial migration

39. Living on the edge- Tribal

40. Naxalism

41. Coal Bed Methane Mining Stalemate with Communities, Pressure groups and Vacuum of Govt. Policies