By Speed Post

No. J-13011/39/2007-IA.II(T)

Government of India

Ministry of Environment & Forests

 

Prayavaran Bhawan

CGO Complex,Lodi Road

New Delhi-110 003

 

Dated: 18th September, 2007

To

          The Executive Director/ Projects

Tamil Nadu Electricity Board

NPKRR Maaligal, 5th  Floor Western Wing

144, Anna Salai, Chennai- 2

Tamil Nadu

 

 

Sub:  1x500 MW Mettur Thermal Power Station Stage-III at Mettur,

Tamil Nadu by M/s Tamil Nadu Electricity Board - Environmental Clearance regarding.

 

Sir,

 

          The undersigned is directed to refer your communication no.   SE/C/P&E/EE/EMC/AEE/C/F.MTPS-III/D 522/07 dated 29th May, 2007 on the subject mentioned above.

 

2.       It is noted that the proposal is for grant of environmental clearance under the provisions of EIA Notification, 2006 for setting up of a 500 MW power plant as an expansion of the existing Mettur Thermal Power Station. The existing capacity of the Mettur TPS is 840 MW.  The project will be located in the existing premises.  The land requirement is 101 acres.  Coal requirement is estimated as 2.3 million TPA, which will be obtained from Kalinga Block of Talcher, Mahanadi and IB Valley Coalfields.  Coal will be transported through sea cum rail route. Water requirement is estimated as 1323 m3/hr, which will be met from already allocated water of 76 cusecs from Cauvery river.     No new ash pond will be created as part of the proposed project.   The public hearing was held on 15.5.2007. Total cost of the expansion project is Rs 1750.00 crores, which includes Rs 201.45 crores for environmental protection measures.

 

3.       The project has been considered by the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) for Thermal Power and Coal Mine Projects.  Based on the recommendations of the Expert Appraisal Committee, the Ministry of Environment & Forests hereby accords environmental clearance to the said project under the provisions of EIA Notification 2006, subject to implementation of the following terms and conditions:-

 

(i)          No additional land shall be acquired for the project.

 

(ii)   Water requirement of 1323 m3/hr shall be met from the   already allocated water   of 76 cusecs from Cauvery River. No further allocation shall be sought for the purpose.       

 

(ii)        Beneficiated coal shall be used with ash content not exceeding 34% and sulphur content not exceeding 0.3%.

 

(iii)      A single stack of 275 m height   with exit velocity of at least 20 m/s shall be provided with continuous online monitoring system.

 

(iv)      High efficiency Electrostatic Precipitator (ESPs) shall be installed so as to ensure that particulate emissions do not exceed 50 mg/Nm3.

 

(v)        Space provision shall be made for installation of FGD of requisite efficiency of removal of SO2, if required at a later stage.

 

(vi)      100% utilization of fly ash shall be achieved from day one.  Bottom ash shall be disposed in existing ash dyke.  No new ash pond shall be created as part of the proposed project.

 

(vii)    For controlling fugitive dust, regular sprinkling of water in vulnerable areas of the plant shall be ensured.

 

(viii)  Closed Cycle Cooling system with cooling towers shall be provided.

 

(ix)      There shall be zero discharge outside the plant boundary.  The treated effluents conforming to the prescribed standards shall be re-circulated and reused within the plant boundary.

 

(x)        Rainwater harvesting shall be practiced. A detailed scheme for rain water harvesting to recharge the ground water aquifer shall be prepared in consultation with Central Ground Water Authority/ State Ground Water Board and a copy of the same shall be   submitted within three months to this Ministry. 

 

(xi)      Leq of Noise level shall be limited to 75 dBA and regular maintenance of equipments   should be undertaken.  For people working in high noise areas, personal protection devices should be provided. 

 

(xii)    As part of this project, 35 acres of land shall be covered under greenbelt using native species only.  Out of the total area of 320 acres, 125 acres shall be covered under greenbelt (90 acres existing + 35 acres proposed). 

 

(xiii)  First aid and sanitation arrangements shall be made   for the   drivers and other contract workers during construction phase.  

 

(xiv)  Regular monitoring of the ambient air quality shall be carried out in and around the power plant and records maintained.  The location of monitoring stations and frequency of monitoring shall be decided in consultation with the State Pollution Control Board.    Periodic    reports shall be submitted to the Regional Office of this Ministry at Bangalore.

 

(xv)    The project proponent shall advertise in  at least   two local newspapers widely circulated in the region around the project, one of which shall be in the vernacular language of the locality concerned within seven days of issue of this letter, informing that the project has been accorded environmental clearance and copies of clearance letter are available with the State Pollution Control Board/Committee and may also be seen at Website of the Ministry of Environment and Forests at http://envfor.nic.in

 

(xvi)  A separate environment management cell with qualified staff shall be set up for implementation of the stipulated environmental safeguards.

 

(xvii)                         Half yearly report on the status of implementation of the stipulated conditions and environmental safeguards shall be submitted to this Ministry, its Regional Office, and the CPCB/SPCB.

 

(xviii)    Regional Office of the Ministry of Environment & Forests located at Bangalore will monitor the implementation of the stipulated conditions. A complete set of documents including Environmental Impact Assessment Report and Environment Management Plan along with the additional information submitted to the ministry from time to time shall be forwarded to the Regional Office for their use during monitoring.

(xix)  Separate funds shall be allocated for implementation of environmental protection measures along with item-wise break-up. These cost shall be included as part of the project cost. The funds earmarked for the environment protection measures shall not be diverted for other purposes and year-wise expenditure shall be reported to the Ministry.

 

(xx)    Full cooperation shall be extended to the Scientists/Officers from the Ministry/ Regional Office of the Ministry at Bangalore /the CPCB/the SPCB who would be monitoring the compliance of environmental status.

 

4.       The Ministry reserves the right to revoke the clearance if conditions stipulated are not implemented to the satisfaction of the Ministry.

 

5.       The environmental clearance accorded shall be valid for a period of 5 years to start of production operation by the power plant.  

6.    In case of any deviation or alteration in the project proposed from that submitted to this Ministry for clearance, a fresh reference shall be made to the Ministry to assess the adequacy of the condition(s) imposed and to incorporate additional environmental protection measures required, if any.

 

7.                 The above stipulations shall be enforced along with others as under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, The Manufacture, Storage and Import of Hazardous Chemical Rules, 1989, Hazardous Wastes (Management and Handling) Rules, 1989, the Public Liability Insurance Act, 1991. 

 

Yours faithfully,

 

 

(Dr. S.K. Aggarwal)

                                                                                                         Director

Copy to:-

1.     The Secretary, Ministry of Power, Shram Shakti Bhawan, Rafi Marg, New Delhi-110001.

2.     The Secretary, Environment & Forests Department, Govt. of Tamil Nadu, Secretariat, Chennai- 600 009.

3.     The Chairman, Central Electricity Authority, Sewa Bhawan, R.K. Puram, New Delhi-110066.

4.     The Chairman, Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board, No. 100, Mount Salai, Guindy, Chennai- 600 032 - with a request to display a copy of the clearance letter at the Regional Office, District Industries Centre and Collector’s office for 30 days.

5.     The Chairman, Central Pollution Control Board, Parivesh Bhawan, CBD-cum-Office Complex, East Arjun Nagar, Delhi-110032.

6.     The Chief Conservator of Forests, Ministry of Environment & Forests, Regional Office(SZ), Kendriya Sadan, 4th Floor, E&F Wings, 17th Main Road, II-Block, Koramangla, Bangalore-560034.

7.     The Director(EI), MOEF.

8.     Guard file.

9.     Monitoring file.

 

(Dr. S.K. Aggarwal)

                                                                                                         Director

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