VJ SAI CHEM SY. NO. 240/B, DOTHIGUDEM VILLAGE, POCHAMPALLY MANDAL, NALGONDA DISTRICT, TELANGANA 2. PUBLIC CONSULTATION Project No. 0816‐21‐01 August 2016 STUDIES AND DOCUMENTATION BY TEAM Labs and Consultants VJ SAI CHEM, B‐115‐117 & 509, Annapurna Block, Sy. No. 240/B, Dothigudem Village, Aditya Enclave, Ameerpet, Pochampally Mandal, Nalgonda District, Telangana. Hyderabad‐500 038. Mobile: +91‐9849024456 Phone: 040‐23748 555/23748616, E‐mail ID: [email protected] Telefax: 040‐23748666 SUBMITTED TO MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA INDIRA PARYAVARAN BHAWAN, JOR BAGH ROAD, NEW DELHI VJ Sai Chem Environmental Impact Assessment Report 7. PUBLIC CONSULTATION 7.0 Introduction (Terms of reference no. 53) The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, (MoEFCC) Government of India issued Environmental Impact Assessment notification S.O. 1533 dated September 16, 2006 mandating prior environmental clearance for manufacture of synthetic organic chemicals under category A for projects located outside notified industrial area/estate. The proposed expansion project of M/s. VJ Sai Chem is located at Sy. No. 240/B, Dothigudem Village, Poachampally Mandal, Nalgonda District, Telangana. The proponent obtained the terms of reference vide letter no. F.No. J-11011/67/2014-IA II (I) dated 26.08.2014, from the MoEFCC, which mandated public consultation. Accordingly the draft Environmental Impact Assessment was submitted to Regional Officer, Telangana State Pollution Control Board, Nalgonda District for conducting public hearing. The public hearing for the proposed expansion was conducted on 07.06.2016 at 11.00 AM near the existing site area. The public hearing was chaired by Sri Ravi Gugulothu, District Revenue Officer & Additional District Magistrate, Nalgonda and the member convening was Sri G. Hanumantha Reddy, Environmental Engineer (FAC), T.S. Pollution Control Board, Regional office, Nalgonda. 7.1 Advertisement Press notification regarding the date, time and venue of the Environmental public hearing for the proposed expansion project was issued in Andhra Jyothi (Telugu daily) and The New Indian Express (English daily) newspapers on 06.05.2016. Copy of the advertisement is enclosed. Minutes of the meeting The minutes of the public hearing is enclosed along with the attendance sheet. Concerns expressed by speakers during public hearing and responses of the proponent are presented in table 7.1. Response to written representations is presented in table 7.2. 7 - 1 Team Labs And Consultants VJ Sai Chem Environmental Impact Assessment Report 7.2 Concerns expressed by public Table 7.1 Concerns Raised in Public Hearing and Responses S. No Issue raised by Issue Proponent’s Response 1 B. Mallesh Yadav, He stated that this type of public hearing was not held The expansion requires about 20 people, Sarpanch, Dothigudem earlier. He wanted the guarantee of employment to the and the proponent assured to recruit Village local people including the educated/ unemployed from the local villages only. youth from the village. The industry assured to provide employment an extent of 50% of the total vacancies. He finally concluded his opinion stating that he would go along with the people of the village in respect of this industry. 2. Sri S. Janga Reddy, He expressed his gratitude for conducting public The proponent assured that about 2.5% of MPTC Member, hearing in connection with the expansion of the existing capital investment i.e., 12.5 lakhs is Jiblakpally Village industry. The ground water and air pollution created earmarked for Corporate Social the problem to this village as well as in the surrounding Responsibility (CSR). The socio villages earlier, therefore to avoid adverse impact no economic activities will be identified in public hearing of this type was held. He opined that, consultation with the local public the industry can be expanded by providing representatives and revenue authorities. employment to the local people and also by taking up He assured that industry will install voluntary developmental works in the surrounding latest pollution control equipment like villages, at the same time adopting the pollution double scrubbing system, double abatement measures. Since water has been polluted, he condensing system to mitigate odor wanted supply of drinking water in the village along nuisance. He assured that he will install with 2 to 3 villages also. Medical camps should be Zero Liquid discharged (ZLD) System conducted and 60% jobs should be provided to the and treated effluent reused for cooling locals depending on their qualifications. The industry towers and boiler make-up. stated that, the plantation program had been taken up to control the adverse impact of chemical emissions, but the negative impact of pollution continued to be felt by the villages. He finally concluded that the industry should take necessary action to control pollution and carry on its operation without causing inconvenience to 7 - 2 Team Labs And Consultants VJ Sai Chem Environmental Impact Assessment Report the people. 3 Sri G. Madhav Reddy, After customary address, he stated that the public Proponent assured that industry will Ex-Sarpanch, hearing was conducted to elicit the opinion of the install latest pollution control equipment Dothigudem Village: people on that particular industry, under the like double scrubbing system, double chairmanship of the District Collector whether to take condensing system to mitigate odor up expansion or not. There would not be any problem nuisance, multi-cone cyclone separator to the people, in case there was no pollution due to the for boiler as air pollution control industry and there could be no opposition also to such equipment. He assured that industry will activity. But the pollution emitted by the industries has install Zero Liquid discharged (ZLD) turned; the villages sterile. If the industry controlled the System and treated effluent reused for pollution problem, the people would have been cooling towers and boiler make-up. happier. No welfare activities under taken so far by any Proponent confirmed that he already of the industry. Compare to other industries, this contributed to the up gradation of temple company provided employment to the tune of 50 per and school and supplied books during cent to the local people. The industry established a tank the last academic year. Henceforth he as requested by the sarpanch of the village. The decided to extend support to improve the pollution affected the water supply bore and water infrastructure of the school. supply pipe line which was laid at a cost of Rs. 3.0 lakhs funds of zilla parshad. The same problem has been posed to the Joint Collector during the earlier meeting. He expressed the apprehensions on the functioning of the government and also its veracity. It is out of place to state that the industry receives the information on enquiries much earlier than the government officials. He demanded that no such things should be permitted again. He sought employment to the local people and as well as protection to the environment by implementing pollution abatement measures. Water was polluted thereby causing inconvenience to the several farmers. Water is being supplied by the industry to a section of people as per the advice of the political party, but not the people who are actually affected by the pollution. The affected people are not paid, and no inspection was conducted so far. He 7 - 3 Team Labs And Consultants VJ Sai Chem Environmental Impact Assessment Report demanded corrective action from the PCB authorities. No welfare activities have taken up by any of the seven industries being operated in their area; The entire village is affected by air& water pollution and there is not even a single: water source remain Unaffected. He concluded his opinion subject to the effective implementation of pollution control measures by the industry. 4. Sri P. Ram Reddy, After customary address, he wanted to know whether Proponent assured that industry installs Ex- Sarpanch, the PH was held to know the impacts on the latest pollution control equipment like Dothigudem Village Dothigudem village and also the problems faced by the double scrubbing system, double villagers or to elicit the opinion of people of this district. condensing system to mitigate odor Since the industry is located in this village, the nuisance, multi-cone cyclone separator problems are faced by them only and not by others. The for boiler as air pollution control drinking water used to be potable before the equipment. establishment of these industries i.e. prior to 17 years. He assured that industry will install Zero Now, the cattle, as well as poultry industry are Liquid discharged (ZLD) System and depending upon tanker supplies. The odor pollution is treated effluent reused for cooling towers experienced by the villages during evenings after the and boiler make-up. sunset. But the management of the industry states that The expansion requires about 20 people, scrubbers have been established to mitigate the and the proponent assured to recruit problem. The public have no knowledge and PCB from the local villages only. officials should investigate the problem and find a suitable solution and take necessary action. Further the PCB officials should investigate the quantum of production and the corresponding release of waste matter. There is no differentiation between large and small scale industry and we are not in a position to pin point the exact source of pollution as there are 6 to 7 industries operated in this area. If one industry commits a mistake, the adverse reaction extends to other industry also. So, all the industries should take pollution control measures in tandem. So far no action has been initiated by the PCB against the industries and 7 - 4 Team Labs And Consultants VJ Sai Chem Environmental Impact Assessment Report only villagers forced them to/close such industries. The people indicated to the industries to dismantle the ground level tank and converted them into open tanks and channels as part of corrective steps.