N T P C Limited Pakri Barwadih Coal Mining Project (15MTPA) COMPLIANCE STATUS OF ENVIRONMENTAL CLEARANCE CONDITIONS EC Clearance Ltr. No.J-11015/692/2007-IA.II(M) Dated 19th May 2009 & Amendment Ltr No J-11015/692/2007-IA-II(M) Dated 29.06.2016 Compliance/ Status report for the period SL No Conditions April, 2017 to September, 2017 SPECIFIC CONDITIONS I The environmental clearance is restricted Noted. We shall always abide the said to Phase-1 of 39 years of opencast condition. operations involving 3319.42 ha of ML area only for which exploration has been completed. II No mining operations shall be undertaken All necessary clearances under the in the forestland within the ML until provisions of FC Act, 1980 has been clearance has been obtained under the obtained for the 1026.438 Ha of forest land provisions of FC Act, 1980. involved vide: i. Stage I Clearance obtained vide letter no. “F. No 8-56/2009, dated 11th May 2010”, ii. Stage II Clearance obtained vide letter no. “F. No 8-56/2009, dated 17th Sept 2010”, iii. Final land release letter received from the State Govt. vide letter no. 3/Vanbhoomi-75/2009-1240 dated 31.03.2011. The Mining operations is restricted to the area only for which forest clearance of has been accorded by MoEF under the provisions of FC Act, 1980. III The monolith found within the core zone As informed in previous report land shall not be disturbed by the mining between the eastern quarry and the operations and a minimum 500m distance monolith are tenancy land and along with thick green belt would be acquisition of the same is under progress. maintained between the eastern quarry and the monolith. A road would be However, to maintain thick green belt created upto the monolith a park created between Eastern quarry and Monolith, the around it so that the monolith could be existing green belt of about 500 trees with visited. large canopy, mainly of Mahua (Madhuca longifolia), Sisham (dalbergia sisoo) and other species between eastern quarry and Monolith has not been disturbed. Further, in this monsoon (i.e June/July/August 2017) 500 nos. of tree saplings has been planted around the east quarry to make the area green and fast growing seedlings have been spread over the over burdens. Photograph showing existing trees are enclosed as Annexure – 1. It is further to mention that NTPC is committed to develop the Monolith, however as the Monolith comes with the 1 Compliance of Condition stipulated in Environment Clearance granted to Pakri Barwadih Coal Mining Project N T P C Limited Pakri Barwadih Coal Mining Project (15MTPA) jurisdiction of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), Ranchi Circle, we have requested ASI, Ranchi Circle to take up the development of road and park near the Monolith for which expenditure will be borne by the NTPC Ltd – Coal Mining Projects. IV Mining shall be carried out as per statute The embankment has already been from the streams/nallahs flowing within the constructed along the seasonal Nala lease. Embankment to be constructed (Khora / lathorwa Nala) along with the shall be based on peak flow data and garland drain and toe-wall. All the shall be at least 3m above the HFL. The technical parameters viz. HFL, peak flow slope of the embankment shall at least 2:1 and max. Rain fall have been taken into towards the ML and shall be stabilized with consideration while constructing the plantation. The CWPRS would be engaged embankment along the seasonal Nala. for the design and study of realignment of the drains / nalas flowing across the ML As the mining is started recently, no nala and creation of embankment, and also diversion is required at present. obtain approval of the State Government for diversion of the nalas. As suggested the CWPRS was involved in study and designing of the Nala diversion. Also necessary permission is already obtained from State Minor irrigation Dept, GoJH vide their ltr. ref. no. 2/PMC/ND- 171/2012/117 dated 10.02.2014. Copy of permission letter and report of CWPRS for diversion of Nalas falling within mining lease have already been submitted to MoEF & CC vide our ltr No. 1040/PBCMP /MIN/ 2017/F-47 dated 29.05.2017. Photographs of embankment constructed along Khora / Lathorwa Nala enclosed as Annexure-2. V Topsoil should be stacked properly with Top soil is being collected since opening proper slope at earmarked site(s) and of mine i.e. May, 2016 and stacked in the should not be kept active and shall be west side of the mining operations in the used for reclamation and development of Available / acquired land (bearing plot green belt. no. 632, 10, 12 under village Urub) adjacent to the embankment of the approach road. All the protective measures for preservation of top soil dumps are being taken with the application of coir mat (23000 SqM) on the slope of the top soil dump. The ultimate use of the generated top soil, which is temporary in nature, will not be changed and will be used for the development of the green belt & Plantation purposes in upcoming years. Further, to avoid erosion, 1.5 lakhs root shoots of vettiver grass and Mixed Plantation have also been planted over the top soil dump. Also, 1.12 km toe wall followed by garland drain of 0.80 km are also constructed to avoid any siltation in the nearby area. The garland drain 2 Compliance of Condition stipulated in Environment Clearance granted to Pakri Barwadih Coal Mining Project N T P C Limited Pakri Barwadih Coal Mining Project (15MTPA) ultimately connected to the settling pit. VI OB should be stacked at earmarked three As per approved revised Mine Plan, OB is external OB dumpsite within ML area of a being stacked at earmarked area of maximum height of 90m. Dump C for Western quarry and Dump D at Eastern Quarry. Presently height of the dump in each is up to 35 m only. It will be restricted to the maximum height 90 meter only. A minimum of 500m shall be maintained The mining activity started in the month of and thick green belt developed between Dec 2016, as the mine advances, the the habitation and OB dumps particularly villages within the block boundary will be that of Barkagaon. shifted gradually. However, the dumps edges are protected by maintaining the slope of the dump with the garland drains and rock toe wall. The village Barkagaon is thickly populated and existing at the southern end of the mine so it has been left and advancement of the dump will be restricted to 500 m of the habitation of Barkagaon. As the village will not be shifted, a thick green belt will be developed between the mine and habitation of the village Barkagaon. However, the existing green belts have not been disturbed except at the location of immediate use of mining operations. As informed the land acquisition is under progress and plantation will also be taken up in these acquired lands. The option of raising the level of grazing Grazing land of 223 Ha will be developed land created after backfilling the quarry on back filled quarry of western & eastern by 10m or so shall be examined so to part as per the approved Mine Plan. reduce the overall OD dump height. Slope stability tests may be undertaken Presently mining is under initial stage, and and the feasibility of backfilling depending height of the dumps in each is up to 35 m on the type of cost effective technology only. The Slope stability test will be available at that stage shall be re- undertaken during the full phased examined. operation of mines and formation of the dumps. Internal dumping will start from 7th year as per mining plan; Required Slope Stability studies for back filling will be taken up before starting the backfilling. The ultimate slope of the dump shall not The ultimate slope of the dump will be exceed 28o. kept restricted to 28 degree. Monitoring and management of Monitoring & management of reclaimed reclaimed dumpsite should continue until dump site shall be carried out till the the vegetation becomes self-sustaining. vegetation becomes self-sustaining. Compliance status should be submitted to The half yearly compliance report is being the Ministry of Environment & Forests and submitted regularly to the MoEF & CC its Regional office located at Regional office Ranchi. Recent report Bhubaneswar on yearly basis. submitted vides reference number 1040/PBCMP/Mining/2017/F-47/316 dated- 16/06/2017. 3 Compliance of Condition stipulated in Environment Clearance granted to Pakri Barwadih Coal Mining Project N T P C Limited Pakri Barwadih Coal Mining Project (15MTPA) VII Catch drains and siltation ponds of Presently Garland drains have been appropriate size should be constructed to provided along the periphery of the initial arrest silt and sediment flows from soil, OB mining area to arrest silts. Catch drains and mineral dumps. The water so have been provided along the top soil collected should be utilized for watering dump. Catch drains also provided at the mine area, roads, green belt external dumps, workshop, offices etc. to development, etc. The drains should be direct the rain water to siltation pond at regularly desilted and maintained sump area to arrest silts and further to properly. Garland drains (size, gradient direct water to main sump of adequate and length) and sump capacity should be capacity with 50% safety margin. Water designed keeping 50% safety margin over collected is being utilized for water and above the peak sudden rainfall and sprinklers for dust suppression for the mine maximum discharge in the area adjoining area roads, green belt development etc.