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PTI
New Delhi, Jan 22: The Centre is planning a comprehensive study in the power sector to help identify the gaps in the application of state-of-the-art technologies that optimise coal production process and make them efficient.
Announcing this while inaugurating a symposium on clean coal technologies here on Friday, minister of state for environment and forests Babulal Marandi said his ministry would coordinate with the ministries of power and coal to take up the study on the `life cycle analysis of power sector'.
The present mining and processing practices must develop and operate in an integrated manner and extend their research programmes to adopt clean technologies that ensure minimum environmental damage, he told the three-day seminar organised by Central Mining Research Institute, Dhanbad.
"It is all the more important because of the linkages between poor environment and poverty conditions of the people of the area," he said. "The coal industry will be doing a great service to the society by usingenvironment-friendly technologies in their industrial applications."
He referred to the global environmental facility (GEF) for access to resources for implementing such initiatives at regional and local levels.
Pointing out that coal was a vital source of energy that would continue into the next millennium, Department of Science and Industrial Research (DSIR) secretary RA Mashelkar regretted that mining was one discipline that was declining despite its importance to the country's economy.
"We will have to bring the latest in the cutting edge of science and engineering to as mundane a product as coal," Mashelkar said while stressing on an integrated systems approach as the key to the whole issue.
Noting that mere economic development of the country with disregard to crucial issues like environment, equity and ethics was unacceptable today, he said appropriate technology and innovation were required in this sector.
"We must create innovative mining engineers and equip them for the 21st century," headded.
With even developed countries, including the US, depending on coal for base load generation, coal will remain the principle energy source in coming years, YP Chugh from the Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, US, told the delegates.
In India, which was the world's second largest producer of coal, almost 80 per cent of the over 1.2 billion tonnes produced was consumed by thermal plants.
With clean air as well as health and safety aspects dominating, he advocated that the Indian coal industry must "go after" technology that minimised solid wastes and controlled gaseous emissions.
With energy being pre-emptive to economic growth and development, the industry must respond to both environment and market issues, chief executive of World Coal Institute Ron Knapp said.
But finding solutions would be quicker by involving the local people, he added, terming the adoption of clean coal technology and combustion as critical.
Copyright © 1999 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
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