Srinagar: The Union Government has proposed amendments to the Coal Bearing Areas (Acquisition and Development) Act-1957 to make it applicable to Jammu & Kashmir.
According to the draft bill, the amendment proposes to omit the words “except the State of Jammu and Kashmir.” The Coal Bearing Areas (Acquisition and Development) Amendment Bill, 2024, proposes to extend the law to Jammu & Kashmir, which was previously excluded.
The Union Ministry of Coal has written to all states and Union Territories, inviting comments from the public and State Governments on the proposed amendments. Following the Union Ministry’s communique, J&K’s Department of Law, Justice, and Parliamentary Affairs has written to the Commissioner Secretary of the Mining Department to submit their comments on the matter directly to the Union Coal Ministry.
According to the Geology and Mining Department of J&K, the Union Territory has coal reserves of 9.5 million tonnes. The primary coal reserves are located in Kalakote, Jangalgali, Metka, Ladha, Chinka, Dhansal, Swalkote, Chakar, Dandil, Mohogala, San-gar-Marg, and Kura. The Kalakote coal mines are estimated to have a usable reserve of roughly 5.4 million tonnes up to a depth of about 300 metres, according to the Geological Survey of India.
