NEW DELHI: The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change calls for phasing out fossil fuels like coal by the end of the century, and substantial emission reductions over the next few decades to prevent irreversible impacts of climate change. But India, which depends on coal for nearly 65% of its energy, can’t move to a non-coal trajectory for its power.With technology like carbon capture and storage still at an experimental level, India plans to make coal washing mandatory as part of its effort to tackle climate change and air pollution, and the environment ministry is busy simplifying the clearing process for setting up coal washeries. “Coal washing will be made mandatory. This will require setting up large number of washeries. Therefore, the environment ministry is finalising the terms of reference for setting up coal washeries.This will make getting environmental clearance for setting up washeries a less cumbersome process,” environment minister Prakash Javadekar said. The move may help India defend using coal as a key energy source at a time global climate talks are moving towards the need for its phase out. The country has made it clear that its electricity needs preclude that option.Coal washing refers to the process by which coal is mechanically cleaned of impurities such as ash, soil and rocks. While Indian coal doesn’t have high sulphur content, it has a large proportion of ash of 40%-45%, which means high carbon emissions and air pollution. The coal washing process addresses this problem, and while it does add to the cost of coal, experts say that the impact on the price of electricity is less than 10%, as the washed coal burns longer and provides more energy.At present only 10%-15% coal used in the country is washed. To ensure that requisite coal washing infrastructure can be set up without too much delay, the environment ministry is finalising an omnibus list of information that developers will have to provide while seeking environmental clearance for the project. “There is no need for developers setting up coal washeries to come repeatedly to the ministry for clearances,” Javadekar said. “So a generic terms of reference is being prepared that will help in the preparation of environment impact assessment report.”A generic list has been prepared by the expert appraisal committee dealing with coal mining projects after consultations, and it is being reviewed by the ministry. The list has 35 items including information on the technology used by the washery, source of coal, the manner in which unwashed coal is transported, and primary baseline data on environmental quality of air, noise, water and soil of the area where the washery is proposed (the data shouldn’t be from the monsoon season). The list also includes details about the impact of the mineral production, transportation, transfer, storage and waste generated. Details about the public hearing for the project will also need to be provided, including notices and issues raised at the meeting.