News Desk, News Nation 360 : Coal India’s (CIL) composite production, the total of overburden removal (OBR) and coal output through opencast mines, went up by a sharp 18.6% to 1,439.6 million cubic metres McuM ending December FY’23, compared to a year ago same period. This was 101% of the target achievement on a progressive basis. CIL has also taken up manufacturing sand out of OB creating wealth from waste in an eco-friendly way. Presently, sand demand is met through sand mining and dredging from water courses of rivers which severely affects the eco-system of rivers. As an effort towards preserving the ecosystem, CIL has started of the box initiative of segregating sand from overburdened formations. The state-owned coal mining Maharatna excavated 1,154.2 McuM OBR till December of the current fiscal year posting a 19.2% growth over a similar period last year and achieving 101% of the target. Three OB to sand conversion projects presently operated by CIL’s subsidiaries produced 16,643 CuM sand till Nov FY’23.  The company is unrolling plans to set up 6 more projects. All 9 plants are aimed to produce 30 Lakh CuM sand annually once fully operational. This makes manufactured sand available at cheaper rates and in an eco-friendly manner. The move also helps improve the riverine ecosystem.