A major highlight of the initiative was the establishment of Bilaspur city’s first Miyawaki dense forest. SECL planted 15,000 saplings across 1.5 hectares at Koni using the rapid-growth afforestation technique.

The event was led by CMD Shri Harish Duhan alongside senior company executives and Bilaspur Division Commissioner Shri Sunil Kumar Jain.

Emphasizing ecological stewardship, CMD Shri Harish Duhan noted that Miyawaki forests will play a pivotal role in boosting urban biodiversity, restoring ecological balance, and combating climate change. The campaign underscores SECL’s long-term commitment to sustainable mining practices and environmental preservation.

Alongside this honor, SECL became the first Coal India subsidiary to cross 50 Million Tonnes of coal production in FY 2026-27, registering a 9.5% year-on-year growth.

The achievement was anchored by its key Korba mega projects: Dipka (11.8 MT), Gevra (11.7 MT), and Kusmunda (9.7 MT).

CMD Shri Harish Duhan emphasized that balancing environmental conservation with energy security remains core to SECL’s growth strategy.

This high-level recognition celebrates Shri Jha’s exceptional leadership, strategic vision, and hands-on dedication to the coal mining sector. The award specifically highlights his successful efforts in driving modern innovation, improving everyday operational safety and efficiency, and promoting sustainable, eco-friendly growth within the industry.

Shri Duhan has been serving as CMD of SECL since March 27, 2025, and has over 34 years of experience in the coal mining sector. Under his leadership, SECL has made notable progress in land acquisition, sustainable mining practices, quality coal production and women empowerment. He played a key role in introducing paste-fill technology in underground mines, expanding project land availability, and promoting inclusive workplaces. A mining engineering graduate from Nagpur University, Shri Duhan began his career with WCL in 1989 and has held several senior technical and managerial positions across Coal India subsidiaries.

The study is being carried out by the CSIR–Central Institute of Mining and Fuel Research (CSIR-CIMFR) using state-of-the-art methodologies, including drone-based orthomosaic mapping, GIS and GPS-enabled spatial validation, vegetation health assessment through scientific indices and quadrat-based ecological surveys for ground-truthing. This integrated application of AI and UAV technologies enhances accuracy and consistency in assessing plantation survival, canopy development and overall reclamation success, reinforcing ECL’s commitment to ESG compliance, sustainable mining practices and responsible environmental governance.