Wedoany.com Report-Sept. 16, The Government of Arunachal Pradesh has granted Coal Pulz a mining lease for the Namchik-Namphuk coal mines in Kharsang, Changlang district, marking a major step in resuming coal mining in the region. The agreement was formalised in Itanagar, with Coal Pulz director Naveen Singhal and Arunachal Pradesh Geology & Mining Secretary AK Singh signing the lease.

Mining operations are expected to commence soon, with projected production of 200,000tpa.

Coal Pulz is expected to begin operations shortly, with projected annual production of 200,000 tonnes per annum (tpa). The mining activity will provide royalties to the state and create employment opportunities for the local population, contributing to economic stability. According to Wangki Lowang, the state’s Geology and Mining Minister, the project will also help curb unauthorized coal mining in the area.

The mining lease area lies within the Namchik Reserve Forest. It has secured required forest clearances from the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change. Additionally, the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority has transferred the environmental clearance needed for the open-cast mine.

The Namchik-Namphuk coalfields, estimated to contain about 15 million tonnes of reserves, were first allocated in October 2003 to the Arunachal Pradesh Mineral Development & Trading Corporation. Covering 133.65 hectares (ha), the block saw open-cast mining on 39.02ha between April 2007 and February 2012, yielding about one million tonnes of coal. Operations were suspended in 2012 due to violations of project conditions and the presence of underground armed elements. Although the Central Government announced a resumption in 2014, the project faced further delays and scrutiny from civil society and environmental groups.

In 2023, the Guwahati-based Coal Pulz was formally allocated the mine. However, extraction was initially delayed as clearances were pending. An escrow agreement signed on 4 February 2023 in Delhi marked progress towards opening one of northeast India’s largest coal mines to private sector participation. Later, on 12 June 2023, the Arunachal Pradesh Government sought approval to transfer forest clearance to Coal Pulz, further advancing the process.

The current development comes shortly after the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change introduced exemptions for mining proposals involving atomic, critical, and strategic minerals from mandatory public consultations, citing national defence and security priorities.

With mining operations set to restart, the Namchik-Namphuk project represents both a revival of coal extraction in Arunachal Pradesh and a test case for private sector participation in the region’s energy resource development. The reopening of this coalfield is expected to strengthen the local economy, expand employment, and provide steady revenues for the state.