Make coal reserve estimates realistic: CIL

Coal India Ltd (CIL) Chairman Partha S Bhattacharya said the coal reserve estimates of the country need to be "pruned down and made realistic".

According to current estimates, the country has coal reserves of 222 billion tonnes, which include proven, indicated and inferred reserves.

A significant part of this coal is however not mineable as it is located in inaccessible or sensitive areas like forests, making the reserve estimate somewhat illusory.

Taking into account the mineable reserves, the country could run out of coal in 40-45 years. The government-owned company, however, expects to add more to the "proven and mineable" reserves category, said Bhattacharya.

Though India is a coal-rich country, coal imports have been rising as production "" largely under CIL "" has failed to keep pace with demand.

Bhattacharya also said CIL was trying to secure coal supplies overseas through its arm Coal Videsh Ltd. "We are looking at opportunities in Australia, Canada and Mozambique," he added.