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Badrul Imam, Professor of Geology Department at the Dhaka University said massive coal extraction is not possible in Bangladesh due to social and geological constraints. “While underground mining gives low recovery, prospect of large scale open pit mine in Bangladesh will be constraints for social and environmental reasons. Prof. Badrul Imam is a member of the committee which has evaluated the proposal of Asia Energy to develop the Phulbari coal mine. Presently he is also involved with the committee that is evaluating the draft coal policy.
In an interview with the Energy & Power, he wouldn’t reply pointedly on what method Bangladesh should adopt to extract coal, but gave different logics. He considers that the method of mining is to be determined on the case basis, considering the impact on social and environmental issues on the one hands and the economy of coal extraction on the other hand
Following are the excerpts of his interview:
EP: What should we do for our present and future energy demand? Should we go for coal extraction? Do you think that the government is sincere on the matter?
Badrul: It’s now proved that we are not floating on gas. So, the government has no alternative other than being sincere on coal extraction. According to the power sector master plan, we need 15,000 megawatt electricity by 2020. We must ensure energy supply for the demand. Considering the fact that we have limited indigenous energy options, coal extraction is essential.
EP: Now it’s a big debate whether we should keep our coal resources or utilize it. What do you say?
Badrul: I don’t think anyone is opposed to coal production. The question is what should be the method. Now the debate is on that.
EP: What do you think? What are the prospects of our coal mines?
Badrul: A simple answer is not possible. If we compare India, Australia, Germany or Indonesia, the obstacles of coal mining in Bangladesh are much greater irrespective of whether you adopt underground mine or open pit mine. This is primarily because of some geologic and social peculiarities of the coalfield area. Geologically all coalfields in Bangladesh are covered by a thick (100 to 200m) water bearing loosely compacted sand layer. For an underground mine, this causes much difficulties and costly to sink a shaft because the whole water aquifer has to be frozen into ice before shaft is constructed. Furthermore the sand aquifer remains a source of water flooding accident in the underground mine. Another problem is that our coal seams are very think to ultra thick and we have to adopt multi-slice method which is more difficult.
On the other hand, for open cut mining, continuous and massive dewatering is required for the entire lifetime of the mine. It would raises the costs to high, lowers the water level in the surrounding area and negatively affect the environment. A second major problem is that the entire areas of our coal fields are fertile agricultural land and too many people live and earn there living on those crop fields. There is probably no place in the world where such green paddy fields inhabited with so many people has an open pit coal mine. Adding to the above is the fact that all coalfields in Bangladesh are restricted to a small area of Dinajpur and Rangpur district and you can not really stretch out much.
We should try to extract as much coal as we possibly can giving top priority to safeguard the social and environmental issues.
EP: We’ve experience of underground mining in Barapukuria.
Badrul: We had water flooding, toxic gas emission, roof falling and high temperature problems in Barapukuria. A major problem is that the coal layers are ultra-thick (30 m to 40 m) and need multi-slice method of extraction which is more difficult. Presently the 1st slice is being mined. I have spoken to several technical persons in the Barapukuria mine on several occasions about the prospects of 2nd or 3rd or 4th slice extraction. Honestly, I found no body confidently saying it can be done as planned. There are large uncertainly and more difficulties in mining lower slices.
EP: So, do you think that underground mining was a wrong decision for Barapukuria?
Badrul: I won’t say technically it failed. But the quantum of recovery from the mine is going to be very low. However, underground mining in Khalaspir and Dighipara coalfield many not be as bad because the coal layers there have less thickness. We can go for underground mining in that two places.
EP: You mentioned different type of obstacles in Bangladesh...
Badrul: Yes I have already explained the unique difficulties in coal mining in Bangladesh as compared to India, Australia or other countries. In India they don’t need to destroy much agricultural land and the density of population in coal mine area is far less. Also almost all the mine are at much shallower depth than in Bangladesh and do not have a water bearing sand cover. Most of the open pit coal mine in India are done to a depth of 100 to 180 meter. A few reached 200 meter. If you compare Bangladesh, most of the coal layers occur in greater than 200 meter. So depthwise we are not being fortunate as Indian are. Also, in Bangladesh we will have to sacrifice huge cultivable land for open cut mining. We’ve to waste huge land for keeping overburden as our coal is at much lower level. Again, a vast area will become lake on completion of the mining. Here too we’ve to sacrifice cultivable land.
The rainfall in Bangladesh is much higher than India, Germany and Australia. As a result, rain wash of the overburden of the open cut mine may be an added problem and this may silt the surrounding river channel. It’ll create more problems.
EP: Can you share with us your experience of open cut mining in India?
Badrul: We visited an open cut mine at Shonpur Bazari at Raniganj coal field in Burdwan district in West Bengal. It is a four ours drive from Kolkata. The overall mining area is about 1,500 hectares and the excavation area is about 880 hectare. Previously we had an idea that small open pit mining will not be commercially profitable. This question came out while discussing the area of 5600 hectares land area of proposed Phulbari mine. But, the Sonepur bazari mine is running at a profit. It produce 3 to 3.5 ton of coal per year. The ex-pit overburden dump is 60 meter high, although it was initially planned at 120 m but could not do it because of government restriction. Only 5,000 people had to be resettled for the mining. Also, the area was not very important for agriculture. There are scattereds agricultural land but mostly forest area. Coal is being extracted from 120 meter beneath the soil. The coal will be extracted from up to 180 meters.
We found it remarkable that all mining work in that mine are done by Indian themselves. There is no foreign component what so ever
EP: So, do you suggest we should abandon the idea of coal extraction?
Badrul: Not at all. All I am suggesting is that we have to go for coal mining as much as reasonably possible keeping social and environmental aspect safe. We have to remember that we have serious geological and social constraints in coal mining and this will not allow us to go for massive or aggressive coal mining program.
EP: How do you look into the current debate over Asia Energy’s proposal to develop Phulbari coal mine?
Badrul: The Asia Energy proposed to develop a coal mine in Phulbari over 5,600 hectares of land which is too large to be environmentally and socially sound for our country. An aggressive way of coal mining in an agro-based populated area can not be acceptable. It’s claimed that the mine will not be profitable if it’s not large. But this is not true.
EP: In Bangladesh, there is the precedence that 50,000 people were relocated for a bridge. So, is rehabilitation of 40,000 people for a coal mine not justified?
Badrul: There is no alternative to construct bridge over the river. So, it’s a must. But, there are alternatives to large scale open pit coal mining. We’ve to consider that.
EP: What do you think, why this chaotic situation in Phulbari?
Badrul: The main problem was that Asia Energy started work before the approval of the government. The people of the mine area could not be motivated for the mine construction. It is impossible to construct an open pit mine if the people do not want it. Asia Energy failed in its public dealing. They are mistrusted and that led to rejection and ended up with violence
EP: We came to know about difference of opinion in the evaluation committee as it worked beyond the TOR. As a member of the committee, how do you look into it?
Badrul: We worked under the TOR. You’ll agree that giving explanation that the agreement was not legal is not an offence. It was the right of the committee.
EP: Can we really expect a coal policy? When you are going to give your recommendations? What’ll be your recommendations?
Badrul: We are optimistic that we’ll be able to complete our task by one month. We’ll recommend that there is no surplus coal in the country to export. Private investment can be welcome for coal sector development, but there government’s partnership has to be ensured.
Also, we would propose that smaller scale open pit mine should be tested to see its effects on environmental, social and economic aspects. Any further open pit mine plan will have to be done on the basis of the result thus obtained. One more important factor is to build local expertise and work force and institution to facilitate coal mining.
EP: What the government should do for meeting energy demand of the country?
Badrul: I think that the government should undertake aggressive gas exploration program for meeting energy demand of the country. For this, we should strengthen BAPEX as much as possible and also engage foreign companies especially in the offshore areas. Secondly, coal has to be extracted taking a conservatively planned way rather than taking aggressive planning. Thirdly, we should also go for nuclear power plant. Import of hydroelectricity is another option that may be looked into seriously. Gas import is an issue Bangladesh has to think seriously at some point in future. At the same time, we’ve to adopt all the options of energy conservation.
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