No. J-11015/243/2006-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:       Haldibari Underground Coal Mine Project (0.42 MTPA) of M/s South Eastern Coalfields Ltd. (SECL), located in Haldibari RF, Tehsil Manendragarh, Districts Annupur and Korea, in the States of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh respectively- environmental clearance – reg.

 

Sir,

 

                This has reference to Ministry of Coal’s letter No. 43011/104/2006-CPAM dated 08.08.2006 enclosing the application on the aforesaid project and your letter No. SECL/BSP/ENVT./Haldibari UG/2006/2080 dated 26.10.2006 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 underground (UG) coal mine of a production capacity of 0.42 MTPA. The total lease area is 390 ha including approach road and railway line. Of this, 321 ha is forestland, 54 ha is private land and 15 ha including 2.5 ha of railway land is Govt. land. There area no National Parks, Wildlife Sanctuary, Biosphere Reserves found in the 10 km buffer zone. The mine lease is found within the Haldibari Reserve Forest. Forestry clearance has not been obtained. Of the total lease area, area for UG mining is  387.50 ha, 3 ha is for infrastructure, 1.60 ha is for roads, 2.50 ha is for railway line, and 1 ha is for green belt. A CHP is proposed within the ML area. An integrated colony of nearby mines of 284 household exists at a distance of 2 km from the mine site. There are no major rivers /water bodies in and around the ML area. The project does not involve modification of the natural drainage. Project does not involve R&R. Mining will be underground by semi-mechanised method. Rated capacity of the mine is 0.42 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) of coal production. Mineral transportation of 1273 TPD of coal is by road. Ultimate working depth of the mine is 213.13  below ground level (bgl).. Water table is in the range of 5.37 -9.27 m during pre-monsoon and   2.96-3.86 m bgl during post-monsoon. Mining will intersect water table. Peak water requirement is 524 m3/d, which will be met from mine water (332 m3/d) and from groundwater (192 m3/d). Life of the mine at the rated capacity is 28 years.  Public Hearing was held in two districts of Korea in Chhattissgarh on 31.08.2005 and Annupur District in Madhya Pradesh on 05.05.2005. NOC has been obtained from Chhattisgarh Env. Cons. Board on 18.11.2005 and from M.P. SPCB on 05.07.2005. The project has been approved by M/s SECL on 23.10.2003. The capital cost of the project is Rs. 4791.58 lakhs.

 

2.             The Ministry of Environment & forests hereby accords environmental clearance for the above-mentioned Haldibari Underground Coal Mine Project of M/s SECL for production of coal at 0.42 MTPA rated capacity under Section 12 of the Environmental Impact Assessment Notification, 2006 and subsequent amendments thereto and Section 1 of MOEF Circular dated 13.10.2006 subject to the compliance of the terms and conditions mentioned below:

 

A.            Specific Conditions

 

(i)            Mining shall not be carried in forestland for which forestry clearance has not been obtained under the provisions of FC Act, 1980.

 

(ii)           Sufficient coal pillars shall be left unextracted around the air shaft (within the subsidence influence area) to protect from any damage from subsidence, if any.

 

(iiii)        Solid barriers shall be left below the roads falling within the blocks to avoid any damage to the roads.

 

(iv)          No depillaring operation shall be carried out below the township/colony.

 

(v)           Depression due to subsidence resulting in water accumulating within the low lying areas shall be filled up or drained out by cutting drains.

 

(vi)         While extracting panels in the lower seam, all water bodies in the subsidence area shall be drained. Dewatering of the old goaves of the upper seam shall be continued as long as the lower seam is worked to prevent accumulation of large water bodies over working area.

 

(vii)        Regular monitoring of subsidence movement on the surface over and around the working area and impact on natural drainage pattern, water bodies, vegetation, structure, roads, and surroundings should be continued till movement ceases completely. In case of observation of any high rate of subsidence movement, appropriate effective corrective measures should be taken to avoid loss of life and material. Cracks should be effectively plugged with ballast and clayey soil/suitable material.

 

(viii)       Garland/surface drains (size, gradient and length) around the safety areas such as mine shaft and low lying areas and sump capacity should be designed keeping 50% safety margin over an above the peak sudden rainfall and maximum discharge in the area adjoining the mine sites. Sump capacity should also provided adequate retention period to allow proper settling of silt material. Sufficient number of pumps of adequate capacity shall be deployed to pump out mine water during peak rainfall.

 

(ix)                          Crushers at CHP should be operated with high efficiency bag filters, water sprinkling system should be provided to check fugitive emissions from crushing operations, conveyor system, haulage roads, transfer points, etc.

 

(x)          Drills should be wet operated only.

 

(xi)         The road from ML to railway siding from where coal will be despatched shall be black topped.

 

(xii)        A progressive afforestation plan shall be prepared and implanted for the undisturbed area and shall include area brought under green belt development, areas along roads, infrastructure, over surface where mining is being done below, along ML boundary and in township outside the lease areas, etc, by planting native species in consultation with the local DFO/Agriculture Department. The density of the trees should be around 2500 plants per ha.

 

(xiii)      Conservation Plan for endangered species found in and around the project area shall be formulated in consultation with the State Forest and Wildlife Departments.

 

(xiv)           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 tot eh Central Pollution Control Board quarterly within one month of monitoring.

 

(xv)        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.

 

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

 

(xvii)     Sewage treatment plant should be installed in the existing integrated colony. ETP should also be provided for treating workshop effluents.

 

(xviii)    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.

 

(xix)       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.

 

(xx)        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,NOx and CO) 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.       Secretary, Department of Environment & Forests, Government of Madhya Pradesh, Secretariat, Bhopal.

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

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

6.       Chairman, M.P. State Pollution Control Board, Paryavaran Parisar, E-5, Arera Colony, Bhopal.

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

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

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

10.    District Collector, Korea, Government of Chhattisgarh,

11.    District Collector, Annupur, Government of Madhya Pradesh,

12.    Monitoring File          13.          Guard File           14.          Record File

 

 

 

 

(Dr.T.Chandini)

Director

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