F. No. 8-116/2011-FC

Diversion of 85.300 ha of forest land (Deemed Forest) for Lohari Coal Project in Daltonganj coalfield in favour of M/s Usha Martin in in Daltonganj North Forest Division in Palamau District of Jharkhand.

1. The state Government of Jharkhand vide its letter no. 3/Vanbhumi-42/2012/112/VP dated 11th January 2013 has submitted the above mentioned proposal seeking prior approval of the Central Government in accordance with Section – 2 of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980.

2. The Daltonganj Coalfield is one of the three Palamau Coal fields and covers an area of 250 sq km (pg 187/c).

3. Lohari Cola block is located in the northern part of Medininagar Coal Field. The Western limit of the block is Medinangar-Aurangabad Road (NH-75) which separates it from coal block. Durgawati River is the limit on the south. Lohari coal block involves total mining lease area of 405 ha out of which 85.30 ha is the deemed forests. Allocation of Lohari Coal Block has been made to meet the coal requirement of 2.00 lakh tones per annum.

4. The Project proponent has submitted undertaking to bear the cost of CA and NPV (pg 39/c) for the instant proposal. The Project proponent has submitted the consent of Gram Sabhas covered under the lease area. However, documentary evidences in support of Settlement of Rights under the FRA, 2006 has not been submitted by the State Government/project proponent.

5. The facts related to proposal as contained in the State Government’s letter dated 11th January, 2013 are given as under:

FACT SHEET 1. Name of the Proposal Diversion of 85.300 ha of forest land (Deemed Forest) for Lohari Coal Project in Daltonganj coalfield in favour of M/s Usha Martin in Jharkhand in Daltonganj North Forest Division in Palamau District of Jharkhand. 2. Location i) State Jharkhand ii) District Palamau 3. Particulars of Forests a) Name of Forest Division Daltonganj North Forest Division, Medinangar b) Forest area involved 85.30 ha c) Legal Status/Sy. No Deemed Forest (recorded as jangle Jhari in Revenue Records) d) Map Survey of Toposheet – 75/c. Land use map – 76-77/c Vegetation Map – 122/c 10 Km radius map – 123/c DGPS map – not enclosed 4. Topography of the area The area has flat topography with general evevation of 200 m above msl. In the central and southern part of the area numnerous small mounds with height if about 3 m to 5 m from ground surface have been formed probably due to differential erosion which has resulted in bad land topography. The general slope of the block is southerly. (i) Geology - (ii) Vulnerability to erosion Not Vulnerable to erosion

5. Vegetation i. Tree/Herbs/Shrubs Chilbil, Babul, Shisham, Parash, Pipal, composition Mahua, Shirish, Neem, Karam, Eculipus, Sagwan, Agam, Khai

ii. No. of trees which will be 1983 trees inclusive of all girth classes affected (pg 86 -103/c)

iii. Density 0.0 to 0.1

6. Whether area is significant from No wildlife point of view 7. Whether forms part of National No park, Wildlife Sanctuary, Biosphere Reserve, Tiger Reserve, Elephant Corridor, etc. (if so, details of the area and comments of the Chief Wildlife Warden 8. Whether any RET species of flora No and fauna are found in the area. If so details thereof 9. Approximate distance of the 4 km approx. proposed site for diversion from boundary of forest. 10. Whether any protected No archeological/ heritage site/defence establishment or any other important monuments is located in the area. 11. Whether any work of in violation No of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 has been carried out (Yes/No). if yes details of the same including period of work done, action taken on erring officials. Whether work in violation is still in progress. 12. Whether the requirement of forest Yes, the entire project area has been land as proposed by the user allotted as Coal Block to the user agency in col. 2 of Part-I is agency. unavoidable and barest minimum for the project, if no recommended area item-wise with details of alternatives examined. 13. Compensatory Afforestation CA has been proposed over equivalent non-forest land

(i) Details of non-forest CA has been proposed over equivalent area/degraded forest area non-forest land in Village Laxmibyan, identified for CA, its distance Koderma Hazaribagh. from adjoining forest, number of patches, sixe of each patches. (ii) Map showing non- Enclosed at Pg 85/c. forest/degraded forest area identified for CA and adjoining forest boundaries. (iii) Detailed CA scheme Ca scheme with seven years including species to be maintenance has been enclosed at pg planted, implementing agency, 104-105/c. time schedule, cost structure, etc. (iv) Total financial outlay for Rs. 66,09,402.00 CA (v) Certificate from the competent - authority regarding suitability of the area identified for CA and from management point of view. 14. Site Inspection Report from the Enclosed at pg 106/c. 15. Catchment Area Treatment N.A. 16. Rehabilitation of Oustees R & R plan is being prepared and will a) No of families involved be submitted within 3 months. b) Category of families c) Details of rehabilitation plan 17. Detail of Mining i. Net Reserve 9.99 MT ii. Mineable Reserve 8.08 MT iii. Total volume of over burden 43.06 million cum iv. Maximum depth of quarry 55.8 m v. Annual production Target 2.00 Lakh tone per annum vi. Proposed Method of working Open cast

Purpose wise break up of Non-deemed forest Deemed proposed land use land (ha) forest land (ha) i. Mining/Excavation 204.92 71.08+2 ii. Dumps:- Surface dump 41.12 10.22 (outside dump of ML area iii. Top Soil dumpsite 3.00 2 (temporary) iv. Embankment along river 12.55 - v. Road 4.00 - vi. Infrastructure (Magazie, 2.00 - Industrial Shade, Labour shade, etc. vii. Office Workshop, Health 2.00 - clinic and Canteen viii. Colony 2.00 - ix. Green Belt 9.37 - x. Undisturbed area 38.74 - Total 319.70 85.30

18. Reclamation of mined areas Enclosed

19. Mining Plan along with Enclosed progressive Mine Closure Plan 20. Whether clearance under Yes Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 is required? 21. Cost Benefit Ratio 1:39.88 enclosed at pg 33-38/c 22. Employment generated Direct employment - 903 persons

23. Total Cost of the Project 17.56 lakh 24. Recommendation All have recommended the proposal. i. DFO Yes ii. CF Yes iii. PCCF Yes iv. State Government Yes 25. District Profile (i) Total Geographical area of 7,97,580 ha District (ii) Total forest area of District / 1,51,783.95 ha Divisional forest area (iii) Total area diverted since 1980 53.77 ha in 18 cases of diversion (iv) Total CA stipulated Forest land :1150 ha Non-forest land : Nil (iv) Total CA done since 1980 Forest land : Nil (as on - ) Non-forest land : Nil

In view of the above facts related to the proposal, if approved, the proposal may be placed before the FAC in its forthcoming meeting.

***