Ahmedabad: Adani Enterprises Ltd (AEL) has planted more than 1.6 million trees and saplings across 568 hectares at the Parsa East and Kanta Basan (PEKB) mine in Chhattisgarh’s Surguja district, transforming the area into a green landscape.
Once an active mining site, the area has now been transformed into a lush green landscape. Under the ecological restoration, 40 trees are planted for every tree removed for mining activities.
Native species including Sal, Mahua, Tendu, Amaltas and Sidha have been replanted, with the company reporting a survival rate of about 88 per cent.
AEL operates the mine as developer and operator for Rajasthan Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Ltd (RVUNL).
According to officials, its greening project has demonstrated how mined land can be restored after coal extraction. It aims to increase the green cover to more than 4 million trees by the end of the decade.
The Adani Group has also developed a 3.5-hectare nursery, housing about 500,000 saplings and achieved successful regeneration of Sal forests in the area.
According to officials, it has undertaken compensatory afforestation across more than 4,000 hectares in Surguja, Korea, Balrampur and Surajpur forest divisions, while over Rs 259 crore has been deposited with the Chhattisgarh government towards afforestation, wildlife management and other environmental measures.
Coal Ministry said in a post on X that after coal extraction, the journey of a mine does not end — it marks the beginning of ecological restoration and sustainable transformation.
“The Parsa East & Kanta Basan (PEKB) Mine in Surguja, Chhattisgarh, stands as a remarkable example of this commitment. Once an active mining site, the area has now been transformed into a lush green landscape, reflecting how responsible mining practices and environmental conservation can go hand in hand,” the ministry noted.
Today, the PEKB Mine is a living testament to the fact that mine closure can pave the way for a greener, more sustainable future, said the ministry.
(IANS)
