Brief Summary for Tenkulam Limestone Mine (G.O. (3D) No.155, Extent – 9.240 Ha) of The India Cements Limited (ICL), Sankarnagar, Tirunelveli District, Tamil Nadu. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE PROJECT M/s. The India Cements Limited (ICL) is having 3 mining leases at Tenkulam village in Tirunelveli Taluk and district namely 155/24.12.1998 (9.24.0 Ha.), 257/07.03.1990 (14.39.5 Ha.) &447/07.11.1991 (24.96.5 Ha.).Since all the 3 mining leases are contiguous to each other, mining equipment, manpower, infrastructural facilities are being commonly used. This report is prepared for getting environmental clearance for G.O. (3D) No. 155 over an area of 9.240 Hectares. Limestone from this mine is being supplied to India Cement’s Sankarnagar plant located at about 5.0 km - SE, (By Road) from the mine site. The mining lease is in operation since 1955 and the validity of original lease was expired on 09.10.1975 and the first renewal of lease was granted for a period of 20 years up to 09.10.1995. The Second renewal of mining lease granted vide G.O. (3D) No.155 dated 24.12.1998 for a period of 20 years. The mining lease validity was expired on 09.10.2015. The mining lease renewal application was filed in Form –J and the renewal process is under consideration of Government of Tamil Nadu. However as per MMDR Amendment Act, 2015 the validity of mining lease is up to 31.03.2030. The present mining plan submitted for the period 2015-16 to 2019-20 and was approved by IBM vide letter No – TN/TNL/MP/LST-1954-MDS dated 05.11.2015. The mining lease area is less than 50 hectares and the declared Gangaikondan Spotted Deer Sanctuary is located 6.5 km away from the mine site, hence this project falls under category B as per MoEF&CC Notification. The peak usable limestone production from this lease would be 0.58 LTPA (Lakh Tonnes per annum). The project is located in Tenkulam village, Tirunelveli Taluk, Tirunelveli district of Tamilnadu. The district Headquarters, Tirunelveli is about 17.1 km (by road) away from Project and the nearest railway station, Talaiyuthu is about 6.6 km - E (by road) away from project. The project is easily approachable from SH-41connecting Tirunelveli to Sankarankovil on the western side. Besides that the site is also approachable from the NH-44 (Previously NH- 7) connecting Tirunelveli and Madurai on the eastern side through the dedicated limestone transporting road. Entire land is non-forest Government land. The lease area falls between latitude 8o 48’ 03.0” N to 8o 48’ 14.1” N and longitude 77o 41’ 31.7” E & 77o 41’ 53.1” E and falls in Survey of India Toposheet No. 58 H/9. Creative Engineers & Consultants, Chennai – 600 059 1 Brief Summary for Tenkulam Limestone Mine (G.O. (3D) No.155, Extent – 9.240 Ha) of The India Cements Limited (ICL), Sankarnagar, Tirunelveli District, Tamil Nadu. The lease area is gently sloping terrain with working RL ranging from 97 m to 86 m AMSL. The lease area does not include any forest land. Other than Gangaikondan Spotted Deer Sanctuary no ecologically sensitive features like national parks, biospheres, elephant corridors, Tiger reserves, etc., occur in buffer area of the project. The area does not come under CRZ category. There are no streams or water bodies within the lease area. In the 10km radius study area, Thamirabarani River – 6.5 km (SE) is found. Talaiyuthu RF – 1.4 km (NE) &Gangaikondan PF – 6.0 km (NE)are located from the lease boundary. The total balance mineable limestone reserves available in the mining lease hold as on 01.08.2015 is 8.4 Lakh Tonnes. The anticipated life of the mine will be about 15years. The waste materials generated in the mining lease area are development waste and interstitial waste. The total waste to be generated from this mine for the balance mine life is estimated to be 34.80 lakh tonnes. Out of this, 27.96 lakh tonnes are developmental waste and 6.84 lakh tonnes are interstitial waste. Since there is no adequate space of non-mineralised area available in the lease area, the waste rocks generated in the mining lease area will be dumped in the waste dump situated in the adjoining mining lease vide G.O.447. The mining leases vide G.O.155 & 447 are contiguous and the entire waste dumping will be within the lease area. Mechanized opencast mining method with conventional drilling and blasting is being adopted in the mine. Whenever secondary breaking is necessary hydraulic excavator attached with rock breaker is engaged. The blasted materials are handled with hydraulic excavators and loaded in to tippers for transporting to the factory. Dumpers & tippers are deployed for dumping waste rocks in the waste dump.The height & width of the working benches are maintained at 10 meters. The mine will be worked in 5 to 10 meter slices and the ultimate size of the benches will be 10m x 10m. So the slope angle of 60º will be maintained. In the post mining stage, out of 9.240 Ha of lease area, 8.004 Ha will be the excavated area, Green belt creation will be 1.000 Ha and about 0.236 Ha will remain undisturbed (Area for future mining). Once the entire limestone of this mine is excavated up to the ultimate pit limit the mining pit will be used for rain water harvesting. During the present plan period it is proposed to plant 500 nos of tree species like Pungamiaglabara (Pungan), Neem, Badam, Manjalkondrai & Prosofis Juliflora covering 0.500 Ha within the mining lease area. Creative Engineers & Consultants, Chennai – 600 059 2 Brief Summary for Tenkulam Limestone Mine (G.O. (3D) No.155, Extent – 9.240 Ha) of The India Cements Limited (ICL), Sankarnagar, Tirunelveli District, Tamil Nadu. The manpower for all the three mining leases worked contiguously on direct basis works out to 17. Indirectly more than 100 people derive benefit due to allied service sectors like trading, logistics, casual labor needs, green belt creation etc. Total water requirements for the three leases of Tenkulam workings will be28.0 m3/day comprising Domestic– 1.5 m3/day,Water sprinkling/ dust suppression –24.0 m3/dayand Green belt development/plantation – 2.5 m3/day.Industrial water requirement like dust suppression, green belt, etc. will be met from mine sump water & bore well. Drinking water requirement will be met from own bore well. Common site services like Mine office, first aid room, rest shelters, toilets already existing for the three leases of Tenkulam workings. ICL is having a common service station in Sethurayanpudur workings of Nanjankulam (Regrouped) Limestone mine (G.O.Ms.No 762). The proponent is having a centralized workshop at mines maintenance division. Common licensed Magazine located at Ramayanpatti village for Nanjankulam regrouped mines and Tenkulam mines for storage of explosives. There will not be any storage of explosives at site. ICL has already carried out various social welfare measures and peripheral developmental activities with a good social outreach, so as to enhance the life style, income generation opportunities and educational levels of the local community in a big way. It has been involved in developing health, education, skill development, environment and spiritual development of the society. For various CSR activities/s, The India Cements Limited spent about Rs. 261.70 lakhs in the period of 2010 – 2016. The total cost of the project: This is a working mine since year 1955, hence estimation of project cost at this juncture does not arise. Setting up of mines and the cement factory has resulted in overall development of the region due to provision of direct & indirect employment, improvement in the general living standards and knowledge sharing, improved wage level and the living standard of the local people and continual improvements of the local amenities for the local society. Besides, the local panchayats, State and Central Governments will also benefit due to receipt of taxes, cess, royalty etc., from the project proponent. In the context of accrual of tangible benefits on all fronts arising from project operations, the project is worthy of approval for improving the infrastructural, social and financial status of the region, the State and the country, as a whole. Creative Engineers & Consultants, Chennai – 600 059 3 .