[LOGO]

Ministry of Environment & Forests

 

No.J-11015/1237/2007-IA.II(M)

 

Paryavaran Bhawan,

C.G.O.Complex,

New Delhi -110510.

 

Dated:  29th April 2010

To

General Manager (W.B.P/Env.),

M/s South Eastern Coalfields Ltd.,

Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh.

 

Sub:     Baiga OCP (0.30 MTPA and expansion from 76.04 ha to 92.716 ha) of M/s South Eastern Coalfields Ltd., located in village Dhanpuri, Tehsil Sohagpur, district Shahdol, Madhya Pradesh - environmental clearance – reg.

Sir,

 

This is with reference to letter No. 43011/126/2007-CPAM dated 11.12.2007 of Ministry of Coal forwarding the application on the aforesaid subject for Terms of Reference (TOR) and this Ministry’s grant of TOR dated 12.05.2008 and the subsequent application No. CIl/DLI/EMP-TOR/2009/20 dated 30.10.2009 for environmental clearance based on TOR and subsequent letters dated 16.11.2009, 28.12.2009, and 08.02.2010 on the above-mentioned subject. The Ministry of Environment & Forests has considered your application. It has been noted that the project is for expansion of the existing Baiga Opencast Coal Mine Project in terms of ML area from 76.04 ha to 92.716 ha at the existing annual production capacity of 0.3 MTPA. Of the total lease area of 92.716 ha, 5.12 ha agricultural land, 20 ha is wasteland, 2.50 ha is surface water bodies, 24.696 ha is vacant land and 40.4 ha is built up area. No forestland is involved. Of the total ML area, 50 ha is area to be excavated, 1 ha is for infrastructure, 0.6 ha is for roads, 41.11 ha is for built-up area, safety zone/vacant area. A township with 80 dwelling units exits at a distance of 2 km from mine site. A number of streams and nalas flow through and near the ML- Nagara Nallah, Karaundiha Nallah, Baghaiya Nallah, and Betha Nallah.  There are Reserve forests such as Burhar RF and Lakhanpur RF situated within the 10km of the core zone. There are no National Parks, Wildlife Sanctuary, Biosphere Reserves found in the 15 km buffer zone. There is reported movement of elephants in the study area. The project does not involve a coal washery. Mining is opencast by mechanised method involving shovel-dumper. An estimated 833 TPD of coal would be transported from CHP to Burhar Railway Sining is by road covering a distance of about 1.5km. Ultimate working depth of the mine by opencast operations is 24m below ground level (bgl), which has been reached. Groundwater in the study area is about 7.65m-11.9m below ground level (bgl) during pre-monsoon and in the range of 3.45m-7.58m bgl during post-monsoon. Average water demand is 124 m3/d of water, which will be met from mine sump/pit water and from Dhanpuri Water Supply. The total estimated OB generation over life of mine is 3.93 Mm3, of which about 2.13 Mm3 has been dumped in external OB dump and the balance 1.8 Mm3 of OB to be generated over the balance life of mine would be entirely backfilled into the decoaled void. The total area to be brought under plantation would be 45 ha. In the post mining stage, an area of 5 ha of the decoaled void would be converted into a water body. No R&R is involved except for 6 land oustees who would be compensated. No resettlement is involved. Balance life of the mine is 3 years. Project was approved on 30.03.2005. Public Hearing was conducted on 29.08.2003 by the M.P. State Pollution Control Board. Capital cost of the project is Rs. 7.74 crores.

 

2.         The Ministry of Environment & Forests hereby accords environmental clearance for the above-mentioned Baiga Opencast Coal Mine Expansion Project of M/s South Eastern Coalfields Ltd. for expansion of the total lease area from 76.04 ha to 92.716 ha at the existing annual production capacity of 0.3 MTPA under the provisions of the Environmental Impact Assessment Notification, 2006 and Circulars issued thereunder subject to the compliance of the terms and conditions mentioned below:

 

A.         Specific Conditions

 

(i)         Mining shall be carried out as per statuette at a safe distance from nala and River flowing within and near the ML. A Mine Drainage Plan with a surface drainage design of the mine resulting from surface run-offs and mine discharge water based on a peak rainfall data shall be prepared and implemented.

 

(ii)        No OB to be generated over the balance life of mine shall be dumped in external OB dumps.  Monitoring and management of existing reclaimed dumpsites shall continue until the vegetation becomes self-sustaining. Compliance status shall be submitted to the Ministry of Environment & Forests and its Regional office located at Bhopal on a yearly basis.

 

(iii)       Catch drains and siltation ponds of appropriate size shall be constructed to arrest silt and sediment flows from soil, OB and mineral dumps. The water so collected shall be utilised for watering the mine area, roads, green belt development, etc. The drains shall be regularly desilted and maintained properly.

Garland drains (size, gradient and length) and sump capacity shall be designed keeping 50% safety margin over and above the peak sudden rainfall and maximum discharge in the area adjoining the mine site. Sump capacity shall also provide adequate retention period to allow proper settling of silt material.

 

(iv)       Dimension of the retaining wall at the toe of the dumps and OB benches within the mine to check run-off and siltation shall be based on the rainfall data.

 

(v)        Dust suppression measures shall include wet drilling, water sprinkling on haul roads, transfer points/loading points coal loading to belt conveyor to be enclosed and provided with dust extraction systems and water sprinklers. Coal bunkers shall be provided with bag filter. Plantation shall be developed around areas such as CHP.

 

(vi)       All approach roads and major haul roads shall be black topped. Measures for suppression of dust from transfer points at CHP and at Railway siding shall include mist type water sprinklers of optimal capacity.

 

(vii)      Drills shall be wet operated only.

 

(viii)      Controlled blasting shall be practiced with use of delay detonators and only during daytime. The mitigative measures for control of ground vibrations and to arrest the fly rocks and boulders shall be implemented.

 

(ix)       No mineral processing unit such as a coal washery shall be installed in the ML without prior approval of this Ministry.

 

(x)        A progressive afforestation plan shall be implemented covering an area of 45 ha of reclaimed external OB dump by planting native species in consultation with the local DFO/Agriculture Department. The density of the trees shall be around 2500 plants per ha.

 

(xi)       The entire OB to be generated over the balance life of the mine shall be concurrently backfilled and reclaimed with plantation/afforestation by planting native plant species in consultation with the local DFO/Agriculture Department. The density of the trees shall be around 2500 plants per ha. The balance area of 5  ha of the decoaled area, left as void and being converted into a water reservoir shall be gently sloped and the upper benches of the reservoir shall be stabilised with plantation and the periphery of the reservoir fenced.

 

(xii)             Regular monitoring of groundwater level and quality shall be carried out by establishing a network of exiting wells and construction of new peizometers. The monitoring for quantity shall be done four times a year in pre-monsoon (May), monsoon (August), post-monsoon (November) and winter (January) seasons and for quality in May. Data thus collected shall be submitted to the Ministry of Environment & Forests and tot eh Central Pollution Control Board quarterly within one month of monitoring.

 

(xiii)            No groundwater shall be used for the mining/project operations. The Company shall put up artificial groundwater recharge measures for augmentation of groundwater resource in case monitoring of ground water table indicates a declining trend. Any additional water requirement for mining operation shall be met from rainwater use only. The project authorities shall meet water requirement of nearby village(s) in case the village wells go dry due to dewatering of mine.

 

(xiv)           ETP shall also be provided for treatment of effluents from workshop, and recycled and reused to the maximum extent possible. Any effluents discharged onto the land/onto surface waters shall meet the standards for discharge. The water at the outlet points would be regularly monitored and records maintained thereof.

 

(xv)             Colony if any shall be provided with STP. Treated water shall be used for green belt development.

 

(xvi)           Besides carrying out regular periodic health check up of their workers, 10% of the workers identified from workforce engaged in active mining operations shall be subjected to health check up for occupational diseases and hearing impairment, if any, through an agency such as NIOH, Ahmedabad within a period of one year and the results reported to this Ministry and to DGMS.

 

(xvii)     The project authorities shall implement environmental conservation measures for an estimated capital cost of Rs 50.28 lakhs and Rs 51.45 lakhs towards revenue costs.

 

(xviii)    Compensation for the land oustees shall be based on norms not less than that given in the National R&R Policy.

 

(xix)      The project authorities shall implement activities under CSR with a provision of Rs 5 per tonne of coal. The details of the status of village–wise activities undertaken under CSR for the villages of Karkati, Dhanpuri, Burhar, Sarkola, Gorhat, and Bhimhori, shall be regularly uploaded at least once a year and displayed on the company website.

 

(xx)       For monitoring land use pattern and for post mining land use, a time series of landuse maps, based on satellite imagery (on a scale of 1: 5000) of the core zone and buffer zone, from the start of the project until end of mine life shall be prepared once in 3 years (for any one particular season which is consistent in the time series), and the report submitted to MOEF and its Regional office at Bhopal.

(xxi)      The Final Mine Closure Plan which includes a Plan for Habitat Restoration along with details of Corpus Fund shall be implemented and details of the status thereof shall be uploaded on the company website and the status thereon along with details of expenditure thereon shall be uploaded on the company website.

 

 

B.         General Conditions

 

(i)                  No change in technology and scope of working shall be made without prior approval of the Ministry of Environment and Forests.

 

(ii)                No change in the calendar plan including quantum of mineral coal and waste being produced shall be made.

 

(iii)               Four ambient air quality monitoring stations shall be established in the core zone as well as in the buffer zone for monitoring PM10, PM2.5, SO2 and NOx.  Location of the stations shall be decided based on the meteorological data, topographical features and environmentally and ecologically sensitive targets in consultation with the State Pollution Control Board.  Monitoring of heavy metals such as Hg, As, Ni, Cd, Cr, in particulates shall be carried out at least once in six months.

 

(iv)              Data on ambient air quality (PM10, PM 2.5, SO2 and NOx and heavy metals such as Hg, As, Ni, Cr, etc) and other monitoring data shall be regularly submitted to the Ministry including its Regional Office at Bhopal and to the State Pollution Control Board and the Central Pollution Control Board once in six months. Random verification of samples through analysis from independent laboratories recognised under the EP Rules, 1986 shall be furnished as part of the compliance report.

 

(v)                Adequate measures shall be taken for control of noise levels below 85 dBA in the work environment. Workers engaged in blasting and drilling operations, operation of HEMM, etc shall be provided with ear plugs/muffs.

 

(vi)       Industrial wastewater (workshop and wastewater from the mine) shall be properly collected, and treated so as to conform to the standards including for heavy metals before discharge prescribed under GSR 422 (E) dated 19th May 1993 and 31st December 1993 or as amended from time to time. Oil and grease trap shall be installed before discharge of workshop effluents.

 

(vii)      Vehicular emissions shall be kept under control and regularly monitored. Vehicles used for transportation of the mineral shall be covered with tarpaulins and optimally loaded.

 

(viii)     Monitoring of environmental quality parameters shall be carried out through establishment of adequate number and type of pollution monitoring and analysis equipment in consultation with the State Pollution Control Board and data got analysed through a laboratory recognised under EP Rules, 1986.

 

(ix)       Personnel working in dusty areas shall wear protective respiratory devices and they shall also be provided with adequate training and information on safety and health aspects.

            Occupational health surveillance programme of the workers shall be undertaken periodically to observe any contractions due to exposure to dust and to take corrective measures, if needed.

 

(x)        A separate environmental management cell with suitable qualified personnel shall be set up under the control of a Senior Executive, who will report directly to the Head of the company.

 

(xi)       The funds earmarked for environmental protection measures shall be kept in separate account and shall not be diverted for other purpose. Year-wise expenditure shall be reported to this Ministry and its Regional Office at Bhopal.

 

(xii)      The Project authorities shall advertise at least in two local newspapers widely circulated around the project, one of which shall be in the vernacular language of the locality concerned within seven days of the clearance letter informing that the project has been accorded environmental clearance and a copy of the clearance letter is available with the State Pollution control Board and may also be seen at the website of the ministry of Environment & Forests at http://envfor.nic.in

 

(xiii)      A copy of the environmental clearance letter shall be marked to concerned Panchayat/Zila Parishad, Municipal Corporation or Urban Local Body and local NGO, if any, from whom any suggestion/representation has been received while processing the proposal. A copy of the clearance letter shall also be displayed on the company’s website.

(xiv)     A copy of the clearance letter shall be displayed on the website of the concerned State Pollution Control Board. The EC letter shall also be displayed at the Regional Office, District Industry Centre and Collector’s Office/Tehsildar’s Office for 30 days.

 

(xv)      The clearance letter shall be uploaded on the company’s website. The compliance status of the stipulated EC conditions shall also be uploaded by the project authorities on their website and updated at least once every six months so as to bring the same in the public domain. The monitoring data of environmental quality parameters (air, water, noise and soil) and critical pollutants such as PM10, PM2.5, SO2 and NOx (ambient and stack if any) and critical sectoral parameters shall also be displayed at the entrance of the project premises and mines office and in corporate office and on the company’s website.

 

(xvi)     The project proponent shall submit six monthly reports on the status of compliance of the stipulated environmental clearance conditions (both in hard copy and in e-mail) to the respective Regional Office of the MOEF, the respective Zonal offices of CPCB and the SPCB.

 

(xvii)     The Regional Office of this Ministry located at Bhopal shall monitor compliance of the stipulated conditions. The Project authorities shall extend full cooperation to the office(s) of the Regional Office by furnishing the requisite data/ information/monitoring reports.

 

(xviii)    The environmental statement for each financial year ending 31st March in Form-V is mandated to be submitted by the project proponent tot the concerned State Pollution Control Board as prescribed under the Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986, as amended subsequently, shall also be uploaded on the company’s website along with the status of compliance of EC conditions and shall be sent to the respective Regional Offices of the MOEF by E-mail.

 

3.         The Ministry or any other competent authority may stipulate any further condition for environmental protection.

 

4.         Failure to comply with any of the conditions mentioned above may result in withdrawal of this clearance and attract the provisions of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.

 

5.         The above conditions will be enforced inter-alia, under the provisions of the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, the Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 and the Public Liability Insurance Act, 1991 along with their amendments and Rules. The proponent shall ensure to undertake and provide for the costs incurred for taking up remedial


measures in case of soil contamination, contamination of groundwater and surface water, and occupational and other diseases due to the mining operations.

 

 

 

 

(Dr.T.Chandini)

Director

Copy to:

1.       Secretary, Ministry of Coal, Shastri Bhawan, New Delhi.

2.       Secretary, Department of Environment & Forests, Government of Madhya Pradesh, Secretariat, Bhopal.

3.       Chief Conservator of Forests, Regional office (EZ), Ministry of Environment & Forests, E-2/240 Arera Colony, Bhopal – 462016.

4.       Chairman, Madhya Pradesh State Pollution Control Board, Paryavaran Parisar, E-5, Arera Colony, Bhopal – 462016.

5.       Chairman, Central Pollution Control Board, CBD-cum-Office Complex, East Arjun Nagar, New Delhi -110032.

6.       Member-Secretary, Central Ground Water Authority, Ministry of Water Resources, Curzon Road Barracks, A-2, W-3 Kasturba Gandhi Marg, New Delhi.

7.       District Collector, Shahdol, Government of Madhya Pradesh.

8.       Monitoring File         9.         Guard File         10.        Record File.

 

 

(Dr.T.Chandini)

Director

 

Untitled Page