MINUTES OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL PUBLIC HEARING HELD ON 06.08.2014 AT 11.00 A.M. IN THE PREMISES OF GODAVARIKHANI-8 INCLINE (MINES RESCUE STATION), RG - II AREA, GODAVARIKHANI, KARIMNAGAR DISTRICT FOR THE PROPOSED RAMAGUNDAM OPENCAST-III EXPANSION PHASE-II COAL MINING PROJECT OF THE SINGARENI COLLIERIES COMPANY LIMITED, RAMAGUNDAM - II AREA, KARIMNAGAR DISTRICT THE FOLLOWING PANEL MEMBERS, REPRESENTATIVES OF THE PUBLIC AND INDUSTRY WERE PRESENT: A. PANEL MEMBERS Sl. No. Name of the Panel Member 1) Shri T.Nambaiah. Addl. Joint Collector & Addl. Dist. Chairman, Magistrate, Karimnagar (Nominated by District Collector) 2) Shri S. Shankar Naik, Environmental Engineer, Member. Telangana Pollution Control Board, Regional Office, Ramagundam B. OTHER DISTRICT OFFICICALS/REPRESENTATIVES OF THE PUBLIC PRESENT Sl. No. Name & Designation 1) Shri. P.Srinivasa Reddy Revenue Divisional Officer, Manthani, Karimnagar Dist. 2) Shri. PuttaMadhuker, Hon’ble MLA, Manthani Constituency, Karimnager, District 3) Shri. Somarapu Satyanarayana, Hon’ble MLA, Ramagundam Constituency, Karimnagar District 4) Shri. B.Venkat Rao, Hon’ble MLC C. REPRESENTATIVES OF THE INDUSTRY Sl. No. Name & Designation 1) Shri Sd. M. Subhani, General Manager, RG - II Area 2) Shri M. Vasanth Kumar, General Manager (Environment) 3) Shri. Antony Raja, General Manager, Estates 4) Shri. K.Ravinder, Project Officer, RG OC-III Expansion Phase-II 5) Shri. T.Srinivasa Rao, Project Officer, RG OC-III Expansion Phase-I 6) Shri P. Sharath Kumar, Addl. Manager(Env), Corporate Shri K. Raghu Kumar, SE (Env), Corporate 7) Page 1 of 32 8) Shri P. Raja Reddy, SE(Env), RG-II Area II. ABOUT 1000 PEOPLE ATTENDED THE PUBLIC HEARING FROM THE SURROUNDING VILLAGES. At the outset, the Environmental Engineer, State Pollution Control Board, Regional Office, Ramagundam, Karimnagar Dist. Telangana, welcomed the Addl. Joint Collector, Karimnagar the Chairman of the meeting and Revenue Divisional Officer, the public gathered at the venue, Hon’ble MLA, Hon’ble MLC, NGO’s, Public Representatives, press reporters and the district officials. The Environmental Engineer informed that the public hearing is being conducted for proposed Ramagundam Opencast-III Expansion Phase-II Coal Mining Project of the Singareni Collieries Company Ltd. (SCCL), Godavarikhani, Karimnagar District, Telangana state. As per EIA Notification S.O. No. 1533 dated 14.09.2006 issued by the Ministry of Environment & Forest, Government of India for establishment/expansion of mining of minerals requires Environmental Clearance for which public hearing is a pre requisite. He also stated that a press notification pertaining to the proposed public hearing was published in “Andhra Jyothi” and “Deccan Chronicle” daily news papers in Telugu and in English language respectively on 04.07.2014 and informed that the notification was issued inviting suggestions, views, comments and objections if any on the proposed establishment of the plant in writing. He also informed that EIA report (Hard & soft copies ) were placed at various places of the District administration for availability of public i.e., in the Offices of District Collector, District Industries Centre, Zilla Parishad, Ramagundam Municipal Corporation, Tahasildar Office of Ramagundam & Kamanpur Mandals and Panchayath Office of Jallaram, Venkatraopalli, Upparlakesaram, Penchikalpet Villages, Corporate officers of Allur and Maredupaka of Ramagundam Municipal wards for access to the public. He further informed that the TOMTOM was conducted in the villages on 05.08.2014 and informed about the Public Hearing. He informed that no written representations were received from the public during the period. He requested the public gathered at the venue to offer their suggestions, views, comments and objections if any on the proposed expansion project. The views expressed will be recorded and video graphed. The entire proceedings will be sent to the MoEF, Govt, of India, for necessary action. Then the Environmental Engineer requested the Addl. Joint Collector to conduct the proceedings of the meeting. Page 2 of 32 The Additional Joint Collector & Addl. Dist. Magistrate, Karimnagar welcomed the officials and public gathered at the venue. He informed that public hearing is being conducted for proposed Ramagundam Opencast-III Expansion Phase-II coal mining projects of the Singareni Collieries Company Ltd. (SCCL), Godavarikhani, Ramagundam, Karimnagar District, which is a prerequisite as per the Central Government EIA Notification, 2006. He informed that, he has worked as a Tehasildar of the Kamanpur Mandal previously and he is aware of the problems and issues of the surrounding villages of this mining area. As part of the public hearing, the representatives of SCCL management have to explain about their project, technology, pollution control measures being adopted and they have to clear all apprehension about the project to the public. The measures being taken by the industry will be addressed. The public can express their views without any fear and opportunity will be given to everybody to express their views. The industry representatives will answer the queries raised by the public. The entire programme will be conducted in a transparent manner and the proceedings along with video would be forwarded to the MoEF for further course of action. He requested the management of the Singareni Collieries Company Ltd. to explain in detail, the salient features of the proposed Ramagundam Opencast-III Expansion Phase-II Coal Mining Projects and its summary of EIA Report. Shri Sd. M. Subhani, General Manager, RG - II Area welcomed the Chairman, Officials, Villagers of Alluru, Jallaram, Upparlakesaram, Maredupaka, Penchikalpet, Mangalpalli, Peddampeta, and Political & Trade Union Leaders, Print and Electronic Media and all the participants. He stated that he has been authorized by Director (Planning & Projects) to explain about the importance and necessity for taking up of the proposed Ramagundam Opencast-III Expansion Phase-II Coal Mining Projects in order to meet the requirements of power generation and demand for other user industries. He detailed as hereunder. 1. SCCL is the only government coal mining company in the South India catering to the needs of thermal power, cement, steel and other coal based industries. He added that SCCL is also supplying coal to the industries located in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamilnadu, Karnataka etc., apart from those in Telangana State. Page 3 of 32 2. SCCL has been carrying out mining operations in Ramagundam area since the last six decades and it is well known that presently coal is being produced through 9 underground mines and 4 opencast mines in Ramagundam Area. 3. SCCL is producing the required coal by opening of new mines by investing the profits earned from the operating mines. This company is answerable to Government and Public as SCCL is being operated by the Government. In this regard, he narrated about SCCL in brief. 4. The company is presently operating 32 underground and 16 open cast coal mining projects, located in 4 districts of Telangana namely Adilabad, Karimnagar, Warangal and Khammam with a work force of around 60,000. Because of the SCCL, around 5 lakh persons were indirectly employed in this region. 5. SCCL is producing 10% of the nation’s production though it is having only 7% of the nation’s coal reserves. About 80% of coal produced from the existing mines is being supplied to power sector and the balance to cement, steel and other industries. SCCL will be producing 55.00 Million Tons only during the year 2014-15. The gap between demand and supply of coal by the end of 12th Five Year Plan will be 16.50 MT as the coal demand will be 73.50 MTPA. In future the demand will further increase and it is necessary to increase the production capacity. 6. Present proposal of Ramagundam Opencast –III Phase-II Project is due to closure of existing old underground mines of GDK-8 incline and GDK-8A incline due to exhaustion of coal reserves, by annexing the property to extract remnant coal reserves locked in these underground mines by opencast method for increasing demand of power for industrial, agricultural and residential needs. Demand for coal is more than the present production targets. 7. Due to this proposed expansion, the project area will be increased from 1393.81 Ha to 2070.10 Ha and the proposed annual production would be from 5.00 MT to 6.80 MT. Out of 2070.10 Ha of total land requirement, 1990.29 Ha of land is under the procession of the SCCL and remaining 79.81 Ha need to be acquired. The coal extracted from these mines will be supplied to NTPC Ramagundam. 8. The total coal reserves available for extractions will be around 130.24 million tones and the life of the mine is 19 years @ 6.80 MTPA. Page 4 of 32 9. The proposed project involved relocation of 1854 PDFs. Out of which, 646 (616 general and 30 ST) belongs to KK Nagar and 1208 ST PDFs belongs to Lambadi Thanda. An amount of Rs 94.89 Crores allocated for the relocation of PDFs involved in the project. 10. He explained that SCCL extended various medical facilities to the surrounding people and also various projects have been taken regarding Schools, Medical facilities to the employees of SCCL. 11. Because of SCCL mining operations, lot of infrastructural facilities like educational institutions, banks, technical institutions, postal facilities, roads, communication etc., have developed in this area by which overall living standards of the people have been improved. He explained that SCCL extended medical facilities by organizing medical camps in the surrounding villages in which at about 2660 villagers have been benefitted. 12. As a part of Corporate Social Responsibility, the company will allocate adequate funds in and around the surrounding villages under Surrounding Habitat Assistance Programme (SHAPE). He stated that Rs.375.61 lakhs were spent under SHAPE programme for the nearby villages. He also explained that, under this project an amount of Rs.