The environment ministry committee has declined requests to exempt coal gasification projects from the statutory minimum mining depth requirement, emphasising adherence to environmental safeguards.

The panel said proposed projects must comply with existing norms designed to protect groundwater and subsurface stability, and the decision affects developers who had sought relaxations to expedite project timelines.

The committee noted that minimum depth provisions serve to reduce the risk of aquifer contamination and surface subsidence and that any alteration could have wider ecological consequences; it advised project proponents to revisit designs and operational plans to ensure conformity with the regulatory framework.

Regulatory bodies and state agencies will be expected to scrutinise applications more closely, the committee indicated, with particular attention to site selection and mitigation measures; developers may need to consider alternative technologies or engineering solutions that operate within the depth constraints.

Stakeholders seeking clearance for coal gasification facilities will now have to present revised studies and evidence of adherence to the minimum depth requirement, and the committee recommended enhanced monitoring protocols and contingency planning to address potential risks during construction and operation.