No.J-11015/23/2005-IA.II(M)

Government of India

Ministry of Environment & Forests

Paryavaran Bhawan,

C.G.O.Complex, Lodi Road,

New Delhi -110003.

 

Dated: 21st March  2007

To

Chief General Manger (Civil/Env./Forest),

M/s South Eastern Coalfields Ltd.,

Bilaspur,

Chhattisgarh.

 

Sub:     Saraipalli Opencast Coal Mine Project (1.40 MTPA) of M/s South Eastern Coalfields Ltd. (SECL), located in village Budbud, Tehsil Pali Sub District, District Korba, Chhattisgarh - environmental clearance – reg.

 

Sir,

 

            This has reference to letter No. 43011/2/2006-CPAM dated 18.01.2005 of Ministry of Coal forwarding your application and your letters dated 20.12.2005, 03.08.2006 and 04.08.2006, on the above-mentioned subject. The Ministry of Environment & Forests has considered your application.  It has been noted that the project is for opening a new opencast Saraipalli coal mine for production of coal at 1.40 MTPA rated capacity. The total project area is 279 ha which includes 7.60 ha of township and 1.20 ha for R&R site located outside the mining lease area at a distance of 2km and 1 km respectively. The project area consists of which 225.407 ha is agricultural land, 40.534 ha is forestland and 13.059 ha are others (Govt. land). A number of Protected forest and Birhuli RF fall within the 10km buffer zone. Forestry clearance was obtained on 16.03.2006 for 40.534 ha. There area no National Parks, Wildlife Sanctuary, Biosphere Reserves found in the 10 km buffer zone. However two endangered fauna- Sloth Bear and Monitor Lizard and a number of medicinal plants are found in and around the project area. Of the total lease area of 271.40 ha, area for excavation is 181.40 ha, 10 ha is for OB dumps, 9 ha is for infrastructure, 5.30 ha is for roads, and 64.5ha is for safety zone and undisturbed area. No CHP is envisaged. The nearest water body is the Gunjan Nala (2km) and the Kurung Nadi (3 km) and several small streams flowing near the mine lease. The project does not involve modification of the natural drainage. Project involves R&R of one village – Budbud involving 20 families and 420 land oustees. Mining will be opencast by semi-mechanised method by use of surface miner.  Drilling and blasting are involved. Rated capacity of the mine is 1.40 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) of coal production. Mineral transportation of 5090 TPD of coal is by road. Ultimate working depth of the mine is 110m below ground level (bgl). Water table is in the range of 2.05 m – 4.24 m bgl in the core zone and 2.22 m –  5.67m bgl in the buffer zone. Mining has intersected water table. Average water requirement is 330 m3/d, which will be met from groundwater (80m3/d) and from mine pit water (250m3/d). An estimated 76 Mm3 of OB will be generated over the life of mine of which 68.50 Mm3 of OB (90%) will be backfilled and the balance OB will be dumped in one external OB dump of 60m height consisting of two benches of 30m height. Backfilling has begun from 3rd year onwards. Public Hearing was held on 19.11.2004. NOC has been obtained on 01.03.2005. Life of the mine at the rated capacity is 25 years. The project was approved by M/s SECL on 27.02.2003 for 1.40 MTPA. The capital cost of the project is Rs. 22.82 crores.

 

 

2.         The Ministry of Environment & forests hereby accords environmental clearance for the above-mentioned Saraipalli Opencast Coal Mine Project of M/s SECL for production of coal of 1.40 MTPA rated capacity under Section 12 of the Environmental Impact Assessment Notification, 2006 and subsequent amendments thereto and under Para 2.1.1 of MOEF Circular dated 13.10.2006 subject to the compliance of the terms and conditions mentioned below:

A.        Specific Conditions

 

(i)         Topsoil should be stacked properly with proper slope at earmarked site(s) and should not be kept active and shall be used for reclamation and development of green belt.

 

(ii)        OB should be stacked at one earmarked external OB dump shall be a maximum height of 60m only and consist of benches of not more than 30m each and shall continue until 8th year of mining operation. The ultimate slope of the dump shall not exceed 28o. Monitoring and management of existing reclaimed dumpsite should continue until the vegetation becomes self-sustaining. Compliance status should be submitted to the Ministry of Environment & Forests and its Regional office located at Bhopal on an yearly basis.

 

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

Garland drains (size, gradient and length) and sump capacity should 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 should also provided 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 should be based on the rainfall data.

 

(v)       High efficiency bag filters/water sprinkling system should be provided to check fugitive emissions from crushing operations, conveyor system, haulage roads, transfer points, etc.

 

(vi)             Drills should be wet operated only.

 

(vii)     Controlled blasting should be practiced with use of delay detonators. The mitigative measures for control of ground vibrations and to arrest the fly rocks and boulders should be implemented.

 

(viii)         Area brought under afforestation shall include reclaimed external OB dump (10 ha), backfilled quarry area (150ha), along ML boundary, along roads (1 ha), infrastructure (2 ha),  and area in township located outside the lease (3 ha) by planting native species in consultation with the local DFO/Agriculture Department. The density of the trees should be around 2500 plants per ha.

 

(ix)      A Progressive Mine Closure Plan shall be implemented by reclamation of decoled quarry area. Backfilling started from 3rd year onwards shall continue in the decoaled area until end of mine life.  The balance excavated void of 31.40 ha shall be used as a water reservoir and the upper benches (5 ha) shall be gently sloped and reclaimed with plantation, by planting native plant species in consultation with the local DFO/Agriculture Department. The density of the trees should be around 2500 plants per ha.

 

(x)       Conservation Plan for endangered species – Sloth Bear and Monitor Lizard found and for medicinal plants found in and around the project area shall be formulated in consultation with the State Forest and Wildlife Departments. A separate Conservation fund shall be earmarked in the project cost and expenditure thereon separately maintained. Status on the implementation of the Conservation Plan shall be submitted regularly submitted to the MOEF RO at Bhopal.

 

(xi)      The company shall obtain approval of CGWA/CGWB Regional Office for use of groundwater for mining operations.

 

(xii)     Regular monitoring of groundwater level and quality should be carried out by establishing a network of exiting wells and construction of new peizometers. The monitoring for quantity should 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 should be submitted to the Ministry of Environment & Forests and to the Central Pollution Control Board quarterly within one month of monitoring.

 

(xiii)    The Company shall put up artificial groundwater recharge measures for augmentation of groundwater resource. The project authorities should meet water requirement of nearby village(s) in case the village wells go dry due to dewatering of mine.

 

(xiv)    Sewage treatment plant should be installed in the township/colony. ETP should also be provided for workshop effluents.

 

(xv)     Digital processing of the entire lease area using remote sensing technique should be done regularly once in 3 years for monitoring land use pattern and report submitted to MOEF and its Regional office at Bhopal.

 

(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)   R&R of village Budbud shall be completed as per specified time-frame. Norms for R&R shall be not less than that prescribed in the National R&R Policy and/State Government.

 

(xviii)  A Final Mine Closure Plan along with details of Corpus Fund should be submitted to the Ministry of Environment & Forests 5 years in advance of final mine closure for approval.

 

(xix)    Consent to Operate shall be obtained before expanding mining operations.

 

 

B.        General Conditions

 

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

 

(ii)               No change in the calendar plan including excavation, quantum of mineral coal and waste should be made.

 

(iii)             Four ambient air quality monitoring stations should be established in the core zone as well as in the buffer zone for SPM, RPM, SO2 and NOx monitoring.  Location of the stations should be decided based on the meteorological data, topographical features and environmentally and ecologically sensitive targets in consultation with the State Pollution Control Board.

 

(iv)             Fugitive dust emissions (SPM and RPM) from all the sources should be controlled regularly monitored and data recorded properly. Water spraying arrangement on haul roads, wagon loading, dump trucks (loading and unloading) points should be provided and properly maintained.

 

(v)               Data on ambient air quality (SPM, RPM, SO2 and NOx) should 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.

 

(vi)             Adequate measures should 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 should be provided with ear plugs/muffs.

 

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

 

(viii)         Vehicular emissions should be kept under control and regularly monitored. Vehicles used for transporting the mineral should be covered with tarpaulins and optimally loaded.

 

(ix)             Environmental laboratory should be established with adequate number and type of pollution monitoring and analysis equipment in consultation with the State Pollution Control Board.

 

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

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

 

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

 

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

 

(xiii)         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.

 

(xiv)         A copy of the will be marked to concerned Panchayat/ local NGO, if any, from whom any suggestion/representation has been received while processing the proposal.

 

(xv)           State Pollution Control Board should display a copy of the clearance letter at the Regional  Office, District Industry Centre and Collector’s Office/Tehsildar’s Office for 30 days.

 

(xvi)         The Project authorities should 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.

 

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.

 

 

 

 

(Dr.T.Chandini)

Director

Copy to:

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

2.      Secretary, Department of Environment & Forests, Government of Chhattisgarh, Secretariat, Raipur.

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

4.      Chairman, Chhattisgarh Environment Conservation Board, 14/3 Park Street, Choubey Colony, Raipur.

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.      Shri M.K. Shukla, CGM, Coal India Limited, SCOPE Minar, Core-I, 4t Floor, Vikas Marg, Laxminagar, New Delhi.

8.      District Collector, Korba, Government of Chhattisgarh, New Delhi.

9.      Monitoring File      10.       Guard File        11.       Record File

 

 

 

(Dr.T.Chandini)

Director

 

 

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