Press Information Bureau reported that Ministry of Coal and Ministry of Environment & Forests have initiated an exercise to identify prima facie A and B areas for coal mining.

Present A areas would be those areas with rich forest cover and bio diversity where applications would not be entertained for forest land diversion. Present B areas would be those areas where prima facie the statutory Forests Advisory Committee in the Ministry of Coal and Ministry of Environment & Forests would consider proposals for diversion of forest land for coal mining purposes.

This was decided in a meeting held to discuss the issue relating to the Go and No Go areas of coal fields and to find ways and means to improve coal production and thereby give an impetus to the economic growth of the country. The meeting was attended by Mr Sriprakash Jaiswal minister of state for coal and Mr Jairam Ramesh minister of state for environment & forests.

A preliminary exercise has already taken place. This has indicated A and B areas in nine major coalfields of the country. This exercise has been done jointly by the Ministry of Coal and Ministry of Environment & Forests and MoC.

This is an ongoing exercise which has to be based both on mapping of forest and coal reserves as well as field level studies. The results of the A and B analysis are indicative. Further action will be taken by the Government after a detailed analysis.