No.J-11015/23/2005-IA.II(M)
Government of
Ministry of Environment & Forests
Paryavaran Bhawan,
C.G.O.Complex,
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
(iii) Catch
drains and siltation ponds of appropriate size should be constructed to arrest
silt and sediment flows from soil,
(iv) Dimension of the retaining wall at the toe of the dumps and
(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
(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
(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
(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
(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
(xiii)
The
Regional Office of this Ministry located at
(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,
2. Secretary, Department of Environment &
Forests, Government of Chhattisgarh, Secretariat,
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,
5. Chairman, Central Pollution Control Board,
CBD-cum-Office Complex, East Arjun Nagar,
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,
8. District Collector, Korba, Government of
Chhattisgarh,
9. Monitoring File 10. Guard File 11. Record
File
(Dr.T.Chandini)
Director