No.J-11015/430/2006-IA.II(M)

Government of India

Ministry of Environment & Forests

Paryavaran Bhawan,

C.G.O.Complex,

New Delhi -110510.

 

Dated: 24th September 2008

To

Director,

M/s GVK Coal (Tokisud) Company Private Ltd.,

‘Paigah House’,

156-159, Sardar Patel Road,

SECUNDERABAD – 500 003.

 

Sub:     Tokisud North Sub Block captive Coal Mine Project (peak capacity of 2 MTPA (ROM)-cum-coal washery (2 MTPA (ROM) of M/s GVK Coal (Tokisud) Company Private Ltd. located in villages Barkitand, Barkagaon, Devrgarh, South Karanpura Coalfields, District Hazaribagh, Jharkand - environmental clearance – reg.

Sir,

 

              This has reference to letter No. GVK/D(PD)/MoEF/2006/245 dated 21.11.2006along with application and letters dated 28.02.2008, 10.04.2008, 17.04.2008, 01.5.2008 and 06.07.2008 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 coal mine - Tokisud North Sub Block Captive Coal mine Project of 2 MTPA (ROM) (peak capacity) and a washery of 2 MTPA (ROM) capacity for its linked Thermal Power Station of 2x300 MW capacity located in Punjab. The total lease area is 585.02 ha of which 314 ha is forestland, and the balance includes agricultural land (230 ha), barren and wasteland (20 ha) and human settlements (21 ha). Forestry clearance has not bee obtained so far. There are no National Parks, Wildlife Sanctuary, Biosphere Reserves found in the 10 km buffer zone. There are no endangered fauna reported in the study area. The block is drained by River Damodar and its tributaries. An embankment is proposed to be constructed along the River Damodar on the eastern (3.2 km) and south-western block (1.3 km). Of the total mining lease area, 237 ha is quarry area, 191 ha is for OB dumps, and 54 ha for infrastructure facilities, which includes an area of 14.33 ha for railway siding. The project involves R&R of 3 villages of Devgarh, Urej and Ango consisting of 184 PAFs (1207 persons). An area of 16.62 ha for the R&R site and for the residential colony is proposed within the lease area.

 

            Mining will be opencast by mechanised method involving shovel-dumper and involves drilling and blasting. Rated capacity of the mine is 2 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) (ROM). Mineral transportation of coal from the mine would be by a road of 3-4 km from CHP to proposed railway siding near Tokisud Railway Station and thereafter to the linked TPS by rail link. Ultimate working depth of the mine would be 190m below ground level (bgl).  Peak water requirement is 2300 m3/d of which 600 m3/d is for coal washery and except during the initial phase, the total water requirement will be met from mine pit water and from recycled water.  An estimated 147 Mm3 of OB will be generated over the life of mine, which would be partially backfilled and the balance stored in 3 external OB dumps.  Ultimate working depth is 190m. Life of mine at the rated capacity of 2 MTPA (ROM) is 31 years. Public Hearing was held on 12.11.2007. Mining Plan has been approved for 2 MTPA (ROM) on 05.04.2006. Capital cost of the project is Rs. 262.70 cores.

 

2.         The Ministry of Environment & Forests hereby accords environmental clearance for the above-mentioned Tokisud North Sub Block Captive Coal mine Project of 2 MTPA (ROM) (peak capacity) and a washery of 2 MTPA (ROM) capacity of M/s GVK Coal (Tokisud) Company Private Limited production of coal at a rated capacity of 2 MTPA (peak) rated capacity in a total lease area of 585.02 ha under the provisions of 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)                  No mining operations shall be undertaken in the forestland within the ML until clearance has been obtained under the provisions of FC Act, 1980.

 

(ii)        Mining shall be carried out as per statuette from the streams/nallahs flowing within the lease.  Embankment to be constructed along the River Damodar shall be based on peak flow data and shall be at least 3m above the HFL. The slope of the embankment shall at least 2:1 towards the ML and shall be stabilised with plantation.

 

(iii)       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.

 

(iv)       OB should be stacked at earmarked three external OB dumpsite within ML area. One external OB dump A to be at least 250m from human habitation shall not be established in the downwind direction and shall be provided with a thick green belt between the residential colony and the dump.  The ultimate slope of the dump shall not exceed 28o. Monitoring and management of 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 Bhubaneshwar on yearly basis.

 

(v)      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..

 

(vi)     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.

 

(vii)      Mineral transportation from mine to CHP from CHP to railway siding by road. The road shall be metal topped. Loading at Railway siding shall be by high capacity Silo Loading System.

 

(viii)      Mineral transportation road shall be provided with high efficiency water sprinkling system provided to check fugitive emissions at the transfer points, haulage roads, etc. Dry fogging shall be provided for crushing/loading operations for dust control at the CHP.

 

(ix)       Drills should be wet operated only.

 

(x)        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.

 

(xi)               The road of 3-4 km length for transportation of washed coal from CHP to railway siding near Tokisud Railway Station shall be wide (12-15m) and black topped and shall be swept clean by mechanical sweepers. Green belt shall be developed on both sides of the road and at the loading/offloading points and at the railway siding.

 

(xii)             Entire water requirement of the coalmine-cum-washery shall be met from mine water. Prior approval of the CGWB/CGWA shall be obtained in cases of use of groundwater for mining operations. Prior sanction of the Water Resources Dept. of the State Government shall be obtained for water requirement of 1800 m3/d for the initial phase proposed to be met from drawing water from River Damodar

 

(xiii)     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.

 

(xiv)      The project authorities should meet water requirement of nearby village(s) in case the village wells go dry due to dewatering of mine.

 

(xv)       Sewage treatment plant of adequate capacity shall be installed in the colony.  ETP should also be provided for workshop and CHP wastewater. Treated wastewater meeting prescribed norms only shall be permitted to be discharged in to the natural water courses.

 

(xiii)            The coal washery shall be a closed circuit washery and no wastewater from the washery shall discharged into River Damodar/tributaries/natural water courses. Thick green plantation shall be developed along the road to and around the washery.

 

(ii)                No rejects from the washery or from the OB dump shall be disposed/drained into River Damodar or its tributaries or any other natural watercourses.

 

(xiv)            Before start of washery operations, an FBC based TPP shall be constructed by the proponent for complete utilisation of the washery rejects.

 

(xi)       The total area that shall be brought under afforestation at the time of mine closure shall not be less than 424 ha which includes reclaimed external OB dump (184 ha) and backfilled area (124 ha), along ML boundary, barrier & embankment (39 ha) and undisturbed area/area for rationalisation (42 ha), along roads (16 ha) and infrastructure (11 ha), green belt (401.44 ha), reject dump and in township outside the lease by planting native species in consultation with the local DFO/Agriculture Department. The density of the trees should be around 2500 plants per ha.

 

(xii)       A Progressive Mine Closure Plan shall be implemented by reclamation of quarry area of 124 ha which shall be backfilled and afforested 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. The balance 113 ha of decolaed area/void is being converted into a water reservoir which shall be gently sloped. The the upper benches of the reservoir shall be terraced and stabilised with plantation.

 

(xvii)      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.

 

(xviii)    A detailed R&R Plan for 184 PAFs consisting of 1207 persons within the villages of Devgarh, Urej and Ango including tribals to be displaced from the project area shall be prepared and implemented in a stipulated time–frame. The compensation shall be not less than that specified in the National R&R Policy. Provision shall also be made in the R&R Plan to take care of the land less labourers and the tribals.  The total expenditure on R&R shall not be less than Rs. 1500.49 lakhs.

 

 

(xix)     The project authorities shall carry out a pre-mining socio-economic survey base don the UNDP Human Development Report and monitor the socio-economic status once every three years and maintain records thereof.

 

(xix)      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 Bhubaneshwar.

 

(xx)       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.

 

 

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, RSPM, 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)               Data on ambient air quality (SPM, RSPM, SO2 and NOx) should be regularly submitted to the Ministry including its Regional Office at Bhubaneshwar and to the State Pollution Control Board and the Central Pollution Control Board once in six months.

 

(v)                Fugitive dust emissions 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.

(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 Bhubaneshwar.

 

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

 

(xiv)            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.

 

(xv)             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, New Delhi.

2.       Secretary, Department of Environment & Forests, Government of Jharkand, Secretariat, Ranchi.

3.       Chief Conservator of Forests, Regional office (EZ), Ministry of Environment & Forests, A-31, Chandrashekarpur, Bhubaneshwar – 751023.

4.       Chairman, Jharkand State Pollution Control Board, T.A. Division Building (Ground Floor), H.E.C., Dhurwa, Ranchi – 834004.

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, Hazaribagh, Government of Jharkand.

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

 

 

(Dr.T.Chandini)

Director

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