GREENBELT DEVELOPMENT OBJECTIVE The purpose of a green belt around the plant site is to capture the fugitive emissions emanating from Plant operations, attenuate the noise generated and improve the aesthetics. Environmental protection has been considered as an important domain for industrial and other developmental activities in India. Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has taken several policy initiatives and promoted integration of environmental concerns in developmental projects. One such initiative is the notification on Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of developmental projects issued in 1994 and further revised notification in year 2006 under the provisions of Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 EIA Guidance Manual for building, construction, townships and area development projects proactively talks about the importance of greenbelts in such projects. Greenbelt in India refers to a buffer zone created beyond which industrial activity may not be carried on. This concept has developed through a long line of cases and today, greenbelts are present not only for the purpose of protecting sensitive areas to maintain ecological balance, but are also be found in urban areas so as to act as a sink for the harmful gases released by vehicles and industries operating in the city area. In this regard, comprehensive Guidelines for Developing Greenbelts have been compiled by the Central Pollution Control Board.

Action Plan As per the stipulations of MoEF&CC, greenbelt is to be provided all along the boundary by planting tall, evergreen trees and the total green area including landscaping area will be about 40% of the project area. There are block plantations within the project site. Typical industrial greenbelt on all sides of the plant site with 5 to 10 m width patches and strips of greenbelt with a spacing of 2m x 3 m (1500 trees per Ha). About 600 trees will be grown in the space available. Since there shall be two rows of trees, they get direct light at least from one side and the branches can expand. Hence, potentially large trees with wide canopy are chosen instead of the less branched and straight growing trees. Soil is good and suitable for plant growth but water supply is critical during the dry season. Special care shall be taken to water them at least once in 7 to 10 days during the dry period. A list of plants suitable for greenbelt and to the local agro climatic conditions. A suggested list of multipurpose trees proposed to be planted in the greenbelt is given in Table

TABLE: LIST OF PLANTS PROPOSED FOR GREENBELT S.No Botanical name English name Habitat 1 Abutilon indicum Indian Mallow Shrub 2 Acacia arabica Gum arabic tree Tree 3 Acacia ferruginea Rusty Acacia Tree 4 Acacia mearnsii black wattle Tree 5 Acacia melanoxylon Sally Wattle Tree 6 Acacia nilotica Babool Tree 7 Ageratum conyzoides Goat weed Shrub 8 Albizia lebbeck Flea tree Tree 9 Bambusa bamboo Bamboo Tree 10 Barringtonia acutangula Indian putat Tree 11 Bidens pilosa Beggar tick Herb 12 Butea frondosa Flame of the forest Tree 13 Calotropis gigantean Crown Flower Shrub 14 Cassia surattensis Scrambled Egg Shrub 15 Cleistanthus collinus Garari Shrub 16 Cleome viscose Asian spider flower Herb 17 Drypetes sepiaria Wild Caper Bush Shrub 18 Eucalyptus globules Eucalyptus Tree 19 Ficus benghalensis Banyan Tree 20 Ficus religiosa Pee pal Tree 21 Magnifera indica Mango Tree 22 Parthenium hysterophorus Carrot Grass Herb 23 Pongamia pinnata Indian beech Tree 24 Techtona grandis Teak Tree