VISAKA INDUSTRIES LIMITED, RAE BARELI-2018 Minutes of Meeting of Public Hearing-28.06.2018 The proceedings (minutes) of the Public Hearing conducted at the premises of M/s Visaka Industries limited, Village: Kannawan, Post: Bachhrawan, Tehsil: Maharajganj, Dist.: Rae Bareli, at 10 AM on 28-06-2018 for the expansion of plant production capacity from the existing 1,20,000 TPA to 3,20,000 TPA (in Phase 1 – 40,000 TPA & in Phase 2 – 1,60,000 TPA) chaired under ADM – E (Administration), Rae Bareli. It has been proposed to increase the production capacity of the Asbestos Cement Sheet plant of M/s Visaka Industries limited located at Village: Kannawan, Post: Bachhrawan, Tehsil: Maharajganj, District: Rae Bareli from the existing 1,20,000 TPA to 3,20,000 TPA (in Phase 1 – 40,000 TPA & in Phase 2 – 1,60,000 TPA). The Member Secretary, U.P. Pollution Control Board, through the letter No. H02286/C-5/NOC/17, dated 16/05/2017, had requested the District Magistrate, Rae Bareli to schedule the dates for the Public Hearing between 20/06/2017 and 25/06/22017, to fix or approve a suitable venue & also requested the DM, Rae Bareli to chair the Public Hearing Panel or alternatively nominate a representative, not below the rank of Additional District Magistrate, Rae Bareli. For conducting the Public Hearing. In that regard, the Chief Environmental Officer (Circle 5), U.P. Pollution Control Board, Lucknow, through the letter No. H17958/C-5/NOC-23/Public Hearing/18, dated 04/04/2018, made such a request to fix the time, date & venue for conducting the Public Hearing. In compliance with the above, the District Magistrate, Rae Bareli constituted a Public Hearing Panel and nominated the Additional District Magistrate (Admin), District Rae Bareli as his representative, and granted the permission for conducting the Public Hearing within the premises of Visaka Industries Limited, Village: Kannawan, Post: Bachhrawan, Tehsil: Maharajganj, District: Rae Bareli on the 28th of June 2018 at 10:00 AM. Consequent to the said permission, the Regional Office, UPPCB, Rae Bareli, arranged to publish the notice of public hearing at least 30 days prior to public hearing in Hindi edition newspapers, respectively in Amar Ujala, Dainik Jagran on dated 10.05.2018 and Hindustan on dated 11.05.2018 with the intention that the Revenue villages of the district Rae Bareli or any other villager who have any suggestion or written objections regarding the implementation of this project may present himself during public hearing for expressing the same. The process of public hearing was started by the Regional Officer, Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board, Rae Bareli with the permission of the chairperson Additional District Magistrate. First of all, the Regional Officer, Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board, Rae Bareli while mentioning the provisions of the notification of the Ministry of Environment and Forest, Government of India Notification No. S.O.1533,14th Sep 2006, explained to the local public and officials present in the public hearing process,. After that the Programme Organiser Mr. Shashikant Dixit on behalf of the Project welcomed & greeted the public and the officials present at the public hearing and gave the detailed information about the project, it was conveyed that the expansion of the project would give employment to the local people in the future and that the area would also develop further. After the announcement by Mr. Shashikant Dixit, Mr. Y. C. Reddy (Environmental Consultant) was requested to give presentation of the project who along with a member of the technical team related to the project presented the environmental conditions of the project in front of the public and officials present, with the help of the projector. The presentation highlighted the impact on the land environment, water environment, natural drainage, ambient air quality, noise monitoring, socio economic studies and the effect on supply from other water sources, drainage management, the loss of vegetation and forest species, creatures and wildlife, water quality, air and sound quality, quality of soil and public health. During the Public Hearing, the proponent informed that at fibre handling systems, cement handling systems & Fly-ash handling systems, proper bag filters as air pollution control system will be installed. Thus, the possibility of any air pollution will be negligible during the production process. Besides as envisaged under the environmental upgradation and safety measures implementation plan, the emphasis was given on the development of Green belt/plantation, continuing to maintain the temporary labour camps & supplying the free fuel & pure drinking water to them during the implementation of the said project. After the presentation of the environmental aspects of the proposed project, Shri U.N. Upadhyaya. Regional Officer, Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board, Rae Bareli asked the public present during the public hearing, to present objections / suggestions regarding the project. In the above context, the people related to the project area were asked to provide solutions/suggestions to the following queries/objections which are listed below. S QUESTIONS ANSWERS No 01 First, Shri A.K. Shukla asked Shri R.N Rao, Vice President of the the question as to where and project, told that the waste water from the how to throw away the industry will be recycled and re-used in generated waste water from the process and will be used in irrigation. the project due to the Any type of waste water will not be expansion of the project. drained out from within the premises. 02 Shri Chandra Kumar Mishra, Shree Y.C. Reddy the Environmental a resident from the village Consultant apprised the public that the Kutioi asked the question green belt, already existing shall be further regarding establishment of developed within the industry premises. Green belt in the industry. He also informed that the industry plans to develop a total of 46% green belt out of total area available. A team will be formed to look after its regular maintenance. Besides apart from within the industry, tree planting will be done outside the industry too. 03 Information about the It was informed by the project director that measures taken to prevent fly ash is transported & brought through pollution arising from the use the bulkers and stored in Storage Silo of fly ash was sought by which will not cause any pollution from Shree Ashok Kumar dixit, a the storage of fly ash. resident from village Kathwara. 04 Questions were asked by It was conveyed by the Project director Shree Hari Prasad, a resident that the domestic discharge from within from the village Khairani, the industry is disposed through the Soak about the disposal of the pit/ Septic tank of appropriate capacity. domestic waste arising from the industry. SUGGESTIONS & COMMENTS FROM THE LOCAL PUBLIC 01 Expressing his pleasure with the proposal for expansion of the project, Mr. Ashok Kumar Dixit, a resident from the Village Kathwara said that with the expansion of industry, employment opportunities will be generated for the local people and there will be an overall development of the area. 02 Regarding the benefits arising out of expansion of the project, Mr. Akhilesh Awasthi, a resident from the Village Semrota stated that currently, 250 nos people are employed in the industry and with the expansion of the project, about 1500 persons, either directly or indirectly, are expected to get employment opportunities in the future. He said that with the implementation of this expansion proposal, there will start a wave of development in and around Raebareli area. Lauding the industry, he also singled out Visaka Industries ecologically as the most beautiful industry from the perspective of the environment. He also cited the contributions in the form of financial aid by the industry towards various social programmes such as education, mass awareness programme, medical camp etc. He equated the expansion of the project with the development of local area and termed it very useful & beneficial to the local populace. SUGGESTIONS & COMMENTS FROM THE DISTRICT MAGISTRATE 01 At the end of the meeting, the Additional District Magistrate- Rae Bareli, while addressing all the team members of the Managing Director of Visaka Company, Regional Officer and other official members of UP Pollution Control Board, Rae Bareli and all the citizen present at the venue of the Public hearing, said that the Industry is at the peak of its expansion project, therefore the Public hearing is an apt process under which they all have been present over there. 02 The Additional District Magistrate Rae Bareli assured the gathering that the said project would accelerate the development of the area and it would be very beneficial for the coming generations. 03 He conveyed to the gathering that the industry is the path of development and it is very important for the industry to continue to be functional. The ADM stated that if a person is employed in the industry, his whole family benefits from it. Additional District Magistrate, Rae Bareli also said that manpower is required for the conductance of the operations of any industry and which comes from the local people only & therefore, he continued, the expansion of the project is bound to bring prosperity in the surrounding area and benefits to all the people in the vicinity. The industry representatives were directed by the Upper District Magistrate Rae Bareli that they should initiate a tree plantation drive under the CSR scheme around 10 KM outside the premises. 04 In addition, at least 10 plants can be donated to the employees working in the industry or their family members to ensure that trees are planted and well taken care of. It has been observed that the maintenance of tree plantation under any programme is not done properly, but when the tree plantation is done by the locals, it can be ensured that the trees are tended to & maintained properly.