No.
J-11015/21/2011-IA.II(M)
Government of India
Ministry of Environment & Forests
Paryavaran Bhavan,
C.G.O. Complex, Lodi Road,
New Delhi-110003.
Telefax. 2436 2434
Dated the 28th
April, 2011
To
M/s Associated Soapstone Distrbuting Co. Pvt. Ltd.
24, Akashwani Marg, Post Box No. 3,
Udaipur – 313 003 (Rajasthan).
Sub: Lohagarh Soapstone Mine of M/s Associated
Soapstone Co. Pvt. Ltd., village Lohagarh, Tehsil Dhariyawad, District
Pratapgarh, Rajasthan – Prescribing of TOR - Regarding.
Reference is invited to your letter no.
ASD/10-11/2264 dated 7.1.2011 along with the application in the prescribed
format (Form-I) and a copy of the pre-feasibility report to prescribe the TORs for undertaking detailed EIA study for
the purpose of obtaining environmental clearance under the provisions of the
EIA Notification, 2006 in respect of the above mentioned project.
2. The proposal is for
renewal of mine lease, which fell due from January, 2011 for production of
30,000 TPA of soapstone. The mine lease
area is 85.31 ha. No forestland is
involved. Mine working will be opencast semi-mechanised involving drilling and
blasting. Life of mine is 23 years. Groundwater table is reported to vary
between 8 – 15 m bgl. Mine working will
intersect groundwater table. Water
requirement is 22 kld, which will be obtained from PHED supply. It is estimated that 61,67,084 m3 of waste
will be generated at the end of the mine life.
Backfilling is proposed.
3. Based on the information contained in the
documents submitted and the presentation made before the Expert Appraisal
Committee (EAC) for mining projects during its Meeting held on March 23-25,
2011, the following TORs are prescribed:-
1)
Year-wise production details since 1994
onwards should be given clearly stating the highest production achieved in any
one year prior to 1994. It may also be
categorically informed whether there had been any increase in production after
the EIA Notification, 1994 coming into force w.r.t. the highest production
achieved prior to 1994.
2)
A copy of the document in support of the fact
that the proponent is the rightful lessee of the mine should be given.
3)
All documents including approved mine plan,
EIA and public hearing should be compatible with one another in terms of the
mine lease area, production levels, waste generation and its management and
mining technology and should be in the name of the lessee.
4)
The study area will comprise of 10 km zone
around the mine lease from lease periphery and the data contained in the EIA
such as waste generation etc should be for the life of the mine / lease
period.
5)
Land use of the study area delineating forest
area, agricultural land, grazing land, wildlife sanctuary and national park,
migratory routes of fauna, water bodies, human settlements and other ecological
features should be indicated.
6)
Land use plan of the mine lease area should
be prepared to encompass pre-operational, operational and post operational
phases and submitted.
7)
A confirmation may be adduced, duly
authenticated by the competent authority in the State Government to the effect
whether the project falls in Aravalli and whether it is covered by the order of
the Hon’ble Supreme Court dated 8.4.2005 in the contempt petition (c) 412/2004
in writ petition 202 of 1995 in the matter of Godavarman vs Union of India.
8)
Location of National Parks, Sanctuaries, Biosphere Reserves, Wildlife
Corridors, Tiger/Elephant Reserves (existing as well as proposed), if any,
within 10 km of the mine lease should be clearly indicated supported by a location
map duly authenticated by Chief Wildlife Warden Necessary clearance, if any, as
may be applicable to such projects due to proximity of the ecologically
sensitive areas as mentioned above should be obtained from the State Wildlife
Department/ Chief Wildlife Warden under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and
copy furnished.
9)
A detailed biological study for the study area [core zone and buffer zone
(10 km radius of the periphery of the mine lease)] shall be carried out.
Details of flora and fauna, duly authenticated, separately for core and buffer
zone should be furnished based on field survey clearly indicating the Schedule
of the fauna present. In case of any scheduled-I fauna found in the study area,
the necessary plan for their conservation should be prepared in consultation
with State Forest and Wildlife Department and details furnished. Necessary
allocation of funds for implementing the same should be made as part of the
project cost.
10)
Impact of change of land use should be given.
11)
R&R plan / compensation details for the project affected people
should be furnished. While preparing
the R&R plan, the National Rehabilitation & Resettlement Policy should
be kept in view. In respect of SCs / STs and other weaker sections,
need based sample survey, family-wise, should be undertaken to assess their
requirement and action programmes prepared accordingly integrating the sectoral
programme of line departments of the State Government.
12)
One season (non-monsoon) primary baseline data on ambient air quality (PM10,
SO2 and NOx), water quality, noise level, soil and flora and fauna
shall be collected and the AAQ data so collected presented date-wise in the EIA
and EMP report. Site-specific
meteorological data should also be collected.
The location of the monitoring stations should be justified. There should be at least one monitoring
station within 500 m of the mine lease in the pre-dominant downwind
direction. The mineralogical
composition of PM10 particularly for free silica should be
given.
13)
Air quality modeling should be carried out for prediction of impact of
the project on the air quality of the area. It should also take into account
the impact of movement of vehicles for transportation of mineral. The details
of the model used and input parameters used for modeling should be
provided. The air quality contours may
be shown on a location map clearly indicating the location of the site,
location of sensitive receptors, if any and the habitation. The wind roses showing pre-dominant wind
direction may also be indicated on the map.
14)
The water requirement for the project, its
availability and source to be furnished.
A detailed water balance should also be provided. Fresh water requirement for the project should
be indicated.
15)
Necessary clearance from the Competent
Authority for drawl of requisite quantity of water for the project should be
provided.
16)
Details of water conservation measures
proposed to be adopted in the project should be given.
17)
Impact of the project on the water quality both surface and groundwater
should be assessed and necessary safeguard measures, if any required should be
provided.
18)
Based on actual
monitored data, it may clearly be shown whether working will intersect
groundwater. Necessary data and
documentation in this regard may be provided.
In case the working will intersect groundwater table, a detailed hydro
geological study should be undertaken and report furnished. Necessary permission from Central Ground
Water Authority for working below ground water and for pumping of ground water
should also be obtained and copy furnished.
19)
Details of first order
stream, if any passing through lease area and modification/ diversion proposed,
if any and the impact of the same on the hydrology should be brought out.
20)
Details of rainwater harvesting proposed, if any, in the project should
be provided.
21)
Information on site elevation, working depth, groundwater table etc.
should be provided both in AMSL and bgl.
A schematic diagram may also be
provided for the same.
22)
Quantity of solid waste generation to be estimated and details for its
disposal and management should be provided.
The quality, volumes and methodology planned for removal and utilisation
(preferably concurrently) of top soil should be indicated. Details of backfilling proposed, if any,
should also be given. It may be clearly
indicated that out of the total waste generated during the mine life, how much
quantity would be backfilled and how much quantity would be disposed off in the
form of external dump (number of dumps, their height, terraces etc. to be
brought out).
23)
The reclamation plan,
post mine land use and progressive greenbelt development plan shall be prepared
in tabular form (prescribed format) and submitted.
24)
Impact on local transport infrastructure due to the project should be
indicated. Projected increase in truck traffic as a result of the project in
the present road network (including those outside the project area) should be
worked out, indicating whether it is capable of handling the increased load. Arrangement for improving the
infrastructure, if contemplated (including action to be taken by other agencies
such as State Government) should be
covered.
25)
Details of the infrastructure facilities to be provided for the mine
workers should be included in the EIA report.
26)
Conceptual post mining land use and Reclamation and Rehabilitation of
mined out area (with plans and with adequate number of sections) should be
given in the EIA report.
27)
Phase-wise plan of greenbelt development,
plantation and compensatory afforestation should be charted clearly indicating
the area to be covered under plantation and the species to be planted. The details of plantation
already done should be given.
28)
Occupational health impact of project should
be anticipated and preventive measures initiated. Details in this regard should be provided. Details of
pre-placement medical examination and periodical medical examination schedules
should be incorporated in the EMP.
29)
Measures of socio
economic significance and influence to the local community proposed to be
provided by project proponent should be indicated. As far as possible, quantitative dimensions may be given with
time frame for implementation.
30)
Detailed environmental management plan to
mitigate the environmental impacts which, should inter-alia also include the
impact due to change of land use, due to loss of agricultural land and grazing
land, if any, occupational health impacts besides other impacts of the
projects.
31)
Public hearing points raised and commitment
of the project proponent on the same along with time bound action plan to
implement the same should be provided.
32)
Details of litigation
pending against the project, if any, with direction /order passed by any Court
of Law against the project should be given.
33)
The cost of the
project (capital cost and recurring cost) as well as the cost towards
implementation of EMP should clearly be spelt out.
4. Besides the above, the
below mentioned general points should also be followed:-
a)
A note confirming
compliance of the TOR, with cross referencing of the relevant sections / pages
of the EIA report should be provided.
b) All
documents may be properly referenced with index, page numbers and continuous
page numbering.
c) Where
data are presented in the report especially in tables, the period in which the
data were collected and the sources should be indicated.
d) Where
the documents provided are in a language other than English, an English
translation should be provided.
e) The
Questionnaire for environmental appraisal of mining projects as prescribed by
the Ministry shall also be filled and submitted.
f) Approved
mine plan along with copy of the approval letter for the proposed capacity
should also be submitted.
g) While preparing the EIA
report, the instructions for the proponents and instructions for the
consultants issued by MoEF vide O.M. No. J-11013/41/2006-IA.II(I) dated 4th
August, 2009, which are available on the website of this Ministry should also
be followed.
5. The EIA report should also
include (i) surface plan of the area indicating contours of main topographic
features, drainage and mining area, (ii) geological maps and sections and (iii)
sections of the mine pit and external dumps, if any, clearly showing the land
features of the adjoining area.
6. The prescribed TORs would be valid
for a period of two years for submission of the EIA/EMP reports, as per the
O.M. No. J-11013/41/2006-IA.II(I) dated 22.3.2010.
7. After preparing the draft EIA (as per
the generic structure prescribed in Appendix-III of the EIA Notification, 2006) covering the above mentioned issues, the proponent
will get the public hearing conducted and take further necessary action for
obtaining environmental clearance in accordance with the procedure prescribed
under the EIA Notification, 2006.
(Dr. S.K. Aggarwal)
Director
Copy to:-
(i)
The Secretary,
Department of Environment, Government of Rajasthan, Secretariat, Jaipur.
(ii)
The Chief Conservator
of Forests, Central Region, Ministry of Environment and Forests, B-1/72,
Sector-A, Aliganj, Lucknow-226020.
(iii)
The Chairman,
Rajasthan State Pollution Control Board, 4, Institutional area, Jhalana,
Doongri, Jaipur.
(iv)
Guard File.
(Dr. S.K. Aggarwal)
Director