Adani has submitted a conceptual operating plan for its Carmichael coal mine and says it will start construction without government funding.

The plan has been submitted to the owner of the existing rail network, triggering a process that will allow Adani to begin establishing the connection of its narrow-gauge rail line.

Adani Mining chief executive Lucas Dow says the company is not seeking any state or federal money for the start of the mine project construction.

“There has been a lot of misinformation and speculation that we need taxpayer money to be able to build the mine and rail,” Mr Dow said in a statement on Wednesday.

“This is absolutely not the case; this project will stand on its own two feet.”

The news comes a day after the Indian mining giant admitted it had failed to declare some activity at the mine site in the Galilee Basin.

Environmental activists earlier this month published drone and satellite pictures that showed track clearing and bore drilling at the site, which they claimed was in breach of the company’s environmental conditions.

The Queensland Department of Environment and Science said last week it would investigate the claims, however Adani has now given all material to the department, claiming an administrative error is to blame for it not being handed over sooner.

Activists are ramping up pressure on the miner over its use of water, with fears its bores could affect the Great Artesian Basin.

There are also concerns Adani could take billions of litres of water from a nearby river system for use in its proposed mine.

The federal government says a broad assessment of the company’s plan to pump 12.5 billion litres of water from the Suttor River each year and pipe it to its Carmichael coal mine project does not apply.

-AAP