Ministry of
Environment & Forests (MOEF)
No.
J-11015/1096/2007-IA.II (M)
Paryavaran
Bhawan,
CGO Complex,
New Delhi-110510.
To
Dated: 18th February 2011
M/s.
South Eastern Coalfields Ltd
Bilaspur,
Chhattisgarh.
SUB: Mahamaya UG Coalmine Expansion Project (Production
from 0.34 MTPA to 0.48 MTPA and ML area from 460.467 ha to 762.470 ha) of M/s.
South Eastern Coalfields Ltd. located in village Jarhi, Tehsil Pratappur, Dist Surguja, Chhattisgarh –Environmental Clearance
Sir,
This has reference to letter No 43011/115/2007-CPAM
dated 05.10.2007 of Ministry of Coal forwarding your application for TOR, which
was granted vide MOEF letter dated 17.01.2008 and your application for environmental
clearance letter dated 02.08.2010 and letter dated 03.02.2011 on the above-mentioned subject. It is noted that the proposal is for expansion
in production from 0.34 MTPA
to 0.48 MTPA and ML area from 460.467 ha to 762.470 ha of Mahamaya Underground Coal Mine project.
The project was granted environmental clearance for 0.34 MTPA on 20.06.2006.
There is no ecologically sensitive area
found within 15 km of the core zone (project area). However, the area around
the project has abundant forests. Part of Forest
2. The Ministry of Environment &
forests hereby accords environmental clearance for the above-mentioned Mahamaya Underground Coalmine Expansion
Project of M/s SECL to increase production from 0.34 MTPA to 0.48 MTPA and ML
area from 460.467 ha to 762.470 ha under
provisons of the Environmental Impact Assessment Notification, 2006 and
subsequent amendments thereto and Circulars thereunder subject to the
compliance of the terms and conditions mentioned below:
A.
Specific Conditions
i) 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.
(ii) Solid barriers shall
be left below the roads falling within the blocks to avoid any damage to the
roads.
(iii) No depillaring operation
shall be carried out below the township/colony.
(iv) Depression due to
subsidence resulting in water accumulating within the low lying areas shall be
filled up or drained out by cutting drains.
(v) 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.
(vi) High root density tree
species shall be selected and planted over areas likely to be affected by
subsidence.
(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 shall be continued till movement ceases completely. In case of
observation of any high rate of subsidence movement, appropriate effective
corrective measures shall be taken to avoid loss of life and material. Cracks
shall 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 shall 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 shall also be 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) CHP shall be operated
with high efficiency bag filters, water sprinkling system shall be provided to
check fugitive emissions from crushing operations, conveyor system, haulage
roads, transfer points, etc.
(x) Drills
shall be wet operated only.
(xi) The major approach
roads from ML used for mineral transportation shall be black topped and a
3-tier avenue plantation developed using a mix of native species.
(xii) A progressive
afforestation plan shall be prepared and implemented for the areas acquired and
shall include areas along roads, infrastructure, township, CHP along ML
boundary, etc, by planting native species in consultation with the local
DFO/Agriculture Department. The density of the trees shall be around 2500
plants per ha.
(xiv) Regular monitoring of groundwater level and quality shall be
carried out by establishing a network of exiting wells and construction of new
peizometers. The monitoring for quantity shall 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 shall be
submitted to the Ministry of Environment & Forests and to the Central
Pollution Control Board quarterly within one month of monitoring.
(xvi) The Company shall put
up artificial groundwater recharge measures for augmentation of groundwater
resource in case monitoring shows a declining trend of ground water level. The
project authorities shall meet water requirement of nearby village(s) in case
the village wells go dry due to dewatering of mine.
(xvii) Sewage treatment plant shall be installed in the township. ETP
shall also be provided for treating workshop and CHP effluents. Effluents
treated to conform to prescribed norms shall be discharged into surface waters.
(xviii) Land losers shall be provided compensation as per norms which are
not less than the National R&R Policy and the R&R Policy of the State
Govt. whichever is higher.
(xv) Project specific CSR should be prepared
& activities under CSR undertaken for the neighbouring villages shall be
for not less than Rs 5 per tonne of coal and the progress made thereon shall be
uploaded on the company annually on the company website. An annual recurring budget of Rs 5/tonne of coal are provided
towards CSR. The company shall set up a
Monitoring cell for monitoring the CSR issues and engage an independent
organisation for undertaking Social Audit.
(xviii) 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 Bhopal.
(xix) A Final Mine Closure
Plan along with details of Corpus Fund shall 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 technology and
scope of working shall be made without prior approval of the Ministry of
Environment and Forests.
(ii)
No change in the calendar plan
including quantum of mineral coal and waste being produced shall be made.
(iii)
Four
ambient air quality monitoring stations shall be established in the core zone
as well as in the buffer zone for monitoring PM10, PM2.5, SOx and NOx. Location of the stations shall be decided
based on the meteorological data, topographical features and environmentally
and ecologically sensitive targets in consultation with the State Pollution
Control Board. Monitoring of heavy
metals such as Hg, As, Ni, Cd, Cr, in RSPM etc. shall be carried out at least
once in six months.
(iv)
Data
on ambient air quality (PM10, PM2.5, SOx and NOx and heavy metals such as Hg,
As, Ni, Cr, etc) and other monitoring data shall be regularly submitted to the
Ministry including its Regional Office at
(v)
Adequate measures shall 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 shall be
provided with ear plugs/muffs.
(vi)
Industrial wastewater (workshop
and wastewater from the mine) shall be properly collected, and treated so as to
conform to the standards including for heavy metals before discharge prescribed
under GSR 422 (E) dated 19th May 1993 and 31st December
1993 or as amended from time to time. Oil and grease trap shall be installed
before discharge of workshop effluents.
(vii)
Vehicular emissions shall be
kept under control and regularly monitored. Vehicles used for transportation of
the mineral shall be covered with tarpaulins and optimally loaded.
(viii)
Monitoring of environmental
quality parameters shall be carried out through establishment of adequate
number and type of pollution monitoring and analysis equipment in consultation
with the State Pollution Control Board and data got analysed through a
laboratory recognised under EP Rules, 1986.
(ix)
Personnel working in dusty
areas shall wear protective respiratory devices and they shall also be provided
with adequate training and information on safety and health aspects. Occupational
health surveillance programme of the workers shall be undertaken periodically
to observe any contractions due to exposure to dust and to take corrective measures,
if needed.
(x)
A separate environmental
management cell with suitable qualified personnel shall be set up under the
control of a Senior Executive, who will report directly to the Head of the
company.
(xi)
The funds earmarked for
environmental protection measures shall be kept in separate account and shall
not be diverted for other purpose. Year-wise expenditure shall be reported to
this Ministry and its Regional Office at
(xii)
The Project authorities shall
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
(xiii)
A copy of the environmental
clearance letter shall be marked to concerned Panchayat/Zila Parishad,
Municipal Corporation or Urban Local Body and local NGO, if any, from whom any
suggestion/representation has been received while processing the proposal. A
copy of the clearance letter shall also be displayed on the company’s website.
(xiv)
A copy of the clearance letter
shall be displayed on the website of the concerned State Pollution Control
Board. The EC letter shall also be displayed at the Regional Office, District
Industry Centre and Collector’s Office/Tehsildar’s Office for 30 days.
(xv)
The clearance letter shall be
uploaded on the company’s website. The compliance status of the stipulated EC
conditions shall also be uploaded by the project authorities on their website
and updated at least once every six months so as to bring the same in the
public domain. The monitoring data of environmental quality parameters (air,
water, noise and soil) and critical pollutants such as SPM, RPM, SO2
and NOx (ambient and stack if any) and critical sectoral parameters
shall also be displayed at the entrance of the project premises and mines
office and in corporate office and on the company’s website.
(xvi)
The project proponent shall
submit six monthly reports on the status of compliance of the stipulated
environmental clearance conditions (both in hard copy and in e-mail) to the
respective Regional Office of the MOEF, the respective Zonal offices of CPCB
and the SPCB.
(xvii)
The Regional Office of this
Ministry located at
(xviii)
The environmental statement for
each financial year ending 31st March in Form-V is mandated to be
submitted by the project proponent tot the concerned State Pollution Control
Board as prescribed under the Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986, as amended
subsequently, shall also be uploaded on the company’s website along with the
status of compliance of EC conditions and shall be sent to the respective
Regional Offices of the MOEF by E-mail.
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. The proponent shall ensure to undertake and
provide for the costs incurred for taking up remedial measures in case of soil
contamination, contamination of groundwater and surface water, and occupational
and other diseases due to the mining operations.
(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, 1-Tilak Nagar, Shiv Mandir Chowk, Main Road, Avanti Vihar,
RAIPUR-Chhattisgarh 492001.
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. Dr.R.K.Garg,
Advisor, Coal India Limited, SCOPE Minar, Core-I, 4t Floor, Vikas Marg,
Laxminagar,
8. District Collector,
Surguja, Government of Chhattisgarh
9. Monitoring File 10. Guard File 11. Record
File
(Dr.T.Chandini)
DIRECTOR