No.J-11015/314/2006-IA.II(M)
Government of
Ministry of Environment
& Forests
Paryavaran Bhawan,
C.G.O.Complex,
Dated: 20th
March 2007
To
Head of Department
Env./CE(Civil),
Environment Department,
M/s
Western Coalfields Ltd.,
Coal Estate, Civil Lines,
Sub: Expansion of Pimpalgaon Opencast Coal
Mine Expansion Project (production from 0.60 MTPA to 1.50 MTPA and lease area
from 450 ha to 451.87 ha of M/s Western Coalfields Ltd. (WCL), located near
village Pimpalgaon, Tehsil Wani, District Yavatmal,
Sir,
This has reference to letter No. 43011/314/2006-CPAM
dated 30.10.2006 of Ministry of Coal forwarding your application on the
above-mentioned subject. The Ministry of Environment & Forests has
considered your application. The
proposal is for expansion in production
from 0.60 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) to 1.50 MTPA and lease area from 450
ha to 451.87 ha. Of the total lease area, 439.77 ha consist of agricultural
land and 12.10 ha is (Govt.) wasteland. No forestland is involved. A township
exists at a distance of 2 km from mine site. There area no National Parks,
Wildlife Sanctuary, Biosphere Reserves found in the 10 km buffer zone. Of the
total lease area, area for excavation is 144 ha, 177.80 ha is for OB dumps, 25
ha is for infrastructure, 10 ha is for roads, 77.50 ha is for greenbelt, 1 ha
is for CHP and 16.57 ha is for rationalisation area. River Wardha flows at a
distance of 2.5 km from the ML boundary. Project involves modification of the
natural drainage by construction of an embankment along the
2. The Ministry of Environment & Forests hereby accords
environmental clearance for the above-mentioned Pimpalgaon Opencast Extension Coal Mine Project of M/s WCL for expansion in production of coal
at 1.50 MTPA rated capacity involving a total lease area of 451.87 ha under
the provisions of the Environmental Impact Assessment Notification, 2006 and subsequent amendments thereto and under Para 2.1.1 of MOEF Circular
dated 13.10.2006 and subject to conditions specified below:
A. Specific Conditions
(i) Mining shall be carried out as per
statuette at a safe distance from the Wardha river.
(ii) The embankment constructed along the
river shall be of suitable dimensions and stabilised with plantation so as to
withstand the peak water flow and prevent mine inundation.
(iii) Topsoil shall be stacked properly with
proper slope at earmarked site(s) and should not be kept active and shall be
used immediately for reclamation and development of green belt.
(iv) OB should be stacked at the earmarked
5 external
(v) Catch drains and siltation ponds of
appropriate size should be constructed to arrest silt and sediment flows from
soil,
(vi) Dimension of the retaining wall at the
toe of the dumps and
(vii) Drills should
be wet operated only.
(viii) 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.
(ix) High
efficiency bag filters/water sprinkling system to check fugitive emissions from
crushing operations, conveyor system, haulage roads, transfer points, etc.
shall be installed and operated effectively at all times of operation.
(x) An area not less than 213.50 ha shall
be brought under afforestation which includes reclaimed external OB dump (106
ha), backfilled area (30 ha), along ML boundary, along roads &
infrastructure, green belt (77.50 ha),
embankment, and undisturbed/vacant area, and township located 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.
(xi) A Progressive Mine Closure Plan shall
be implemented by reclamation of quarry area of which 30 ha 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 84 ha of decoaled void which is being converted into
a water reservoir, shall be gently sloped along the upper benches, terraced and
reclaimed with plantation. The outer periphery of the water body shall be
fenced.
(xii) The company shall obtain prior approval
of CGWA/CGWB Regional Office for use of groundwater for mining operations.
(xiii) 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 two years and the results reported to this
Ministry and to DGMS.
(xiv) A Final Mine Closure Plan
along with details of Corpus Fund should be submitted immediately upon receipt of EC to the Ministry of
Environment & Forests RO,
(xv) Consent to Operate shall be obtained
before expanding mining operations in the additional lease area and for the
enhanced rated capacity.
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, New Delhi.
2. Secretary,
Department of Environment, Government of Maharashtra, 15th Floor,
New Admn. Bldg., Madam Cama Road, MUMBAI – 400032..
3. Chief
Conservator of Forests, Regional office (EZ), Ministry of Environment &
Forests, E-2/240 Arear Colony, Bhopal – 462016.
4. Chairman,
Maharsashtra State Pollution Control Board, Kalapataru Point, 3rd
& 4th Floors, Sion, Matunga Scheme Road No. 8, Opp. Cine Planet
Cinema, Near Sion Circle, Sion (E), Mumbai – 400002.
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, Yavatmal, Government of Maharashtra.
9. EI Division,
Ministry of Environment & Forests, New Delhi.
10. Monitoring File 10. Guard
File 11. Record File
(Dr.T.Chandini)
Director