Author(s):

Mukesh Tiwary and Diwakar Prasad Nirala

Abstract: Generally, any external force, substance, or condition that affects plants in any way, leads to the impact of the environment. Coal mining practices in India have a long history. On a commercial scale mainly British companies started it in India. From its very first day exploitation of coal reserve started and it resulted in the environmental degradation through various ways. It is a topic of research importance because now a day the environmental problem is a burning global issue. Now a day if one observes any coal-mining project in India the truth aforesaid will automatically reveal. There is the destruction of vegetation, soil resource, water resource; underground resource and great intensity of various pollutions have been observed. In short an in human treatment is meted out to the environment by modern civilization. The Jharia coalfields of BCCL are not an exception in this regard. Opencast mining is the predominant mode of coal mining, but it is less environmentally friendly. Impact of coal mining on herbaceous plants is created by human being for the privilege of standards of living. In the Indian coal industry the dependence on opencast mining has been increased rapidly during the last two decades due to the modernization of mining operation. The large opencast mines have the advantage of low gestation period and higher recovery of coal and are more amenable to heavy mechanization and modern technologies than underground mines, thus ensuring speed and economy in implementation. The loss of the layer of top soil due to opencast mining leads to the low frequency of plants. Surface necessitates full uncovering of the mineral deposit and overlying vegetation and soil are completely destroyed. Open cast mining of coal deposits involves removal of overlying soil rock debris. This debris is heaped in the form of dumps and is called over burden. Lack of vegetation cover on such dumps often leads to the acute problem of soil erosion and environmental pollution. It results in the impact on herbaceous dicots plants and physiographic features of the concerned region. Eminent Research scholars have done many research works in India regarding coalfield. Though coal is an essential resource but protection of the environment is not less important. Therefore, environmental impacts of coal mining projects with its possible preventive measures are compulsory. So the environmental impacts of coal mining projects are immense which will also help understand the development of Jharia coalmines.

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