https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/food/as-told-to-parliament-march-30-2022-india-s-coal-demand-to-increase-63-by-2023-82165  India’s coal demand is set to be 1.3-1.5 billion tonnes by 2030, an increase of 63 per cent form the current level, Pralhad Joshi, Union minister of parliamentary affairs, coal and mines, told the Lok Sabha March 30, 2022. The projection was made in the draft Economic Survey 2021-22.

Thus, as of now there is no scenario of energy transition away from coal affecting any stakeholder involved in coal mining, he said.

Shankar Sharma in an email: If the coal demand goes up by 63%, the fresh water availability to our
vulnerable sections can come down by a corresponding level, and the pollution/ contamination of air, water and soil will also go up. As far as the CO2 emission is concerned it is anybody's guess as to whether it will come down or go up. Whereas IPCC and the other global scientific bodies are urging to bring down the global CO2 emission by 50%, India's emission may go up by 50%.

Our authorities seem to have ignored the concept of a national energy policy, which would have discussed all the associated issues. Without such a diligently prepared policy we can see only ad-hoc policies, and completely non-coherent actions. Different ministries seem to be pulling in different directions.

*What an ideal way for a country claiming to be a leader in Climate Change associated efforts; not to speak of the calamitous impacts on its people; especially the vulnerable sections !!!*