Bhilai Steel Plant BRIEF WRITE UP OF THE PROJECT 1.0 Title of the Project Environment Clearance for Nandini Limestone Mines of Bhilai Steel Plant, M/s Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) in Tehsil: Damdha, District: Durg (Chhattisgarh) for Expansion of Lease area from 526.34 ha to 549.03 ha ( Expansion area 22.69 ha) with production capacity remaining same i.e. 1.08 MTPA 2.0 Location / Site Alternatives under Consideration: M/s Bhilai steel plant (BSP), a subsidiary of Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL), is having Nandini Mines Mining Lease for excavation of Limestone over an area of 526.54 Ha at Tehsil: Damdha , District: Durg, Chhattisgarh-State. The mine is in operation from 15/06/1958. Location and Extent of Area: The area falls in the Survey of India Topo Sheet No. 64 G/7 near village Ahiwara,Pithora, Deorjhal &Nandini-Khundini in Tehsil Dhamdha. District Durg of Chhattisgarh state and is having the latitude and longitude as given below: Latitude: 210 21’45” North & 210 23’00” North. Longitude 810 24’30” East & 810 26’30” East The lease is situated at about 25 km towards North-East from Bhilai Steel Plant, The lease area is approachable from Tahsil headquarter Dhamdha by road at a distance of about 15 km and is about 30 km from the District headquarter Durg by all season fair road. The nearest Railway Station is Bhilai on Mumbai-Howrah main Railway Line at a distance of about 25 km. 3.0 Topography: The area is more or less flat with ground levels varies from 280 to 290 M AMSL. The mineralized area is covered by murrum & clay as overburden with a thickness varying from fraction of meter on NW to 7 M on South (Av. Thickness of overburden is 4 meters). The area is basically an arid to sub/arid in climate. However, a number of indistinct Nallahs run through the region following the slopes towards N & NW. The typical “Karst” topography of limestone terrain is predominant here especially in West and South of the Main Quarry 4.0 Mining Lease Area & Lease Status Total lease area is 526.34 Ha in Non-Forest acquired land of Bhilai Steel Plant in the village Ahiwara, Pithora, Deorjhal & Nandini-Khundini in the Tehsil: Dhamdha. District: Durg of Chhattisgarh – State. The Mining lease was renewed by MRD, Govt of Chhattisgarh Vide No. F 3-268//12/97 from 31.03.1997 to 30.03.2017 and it is again extended upto 31.12.2028 in pursuance with MMDR Amendment Act-2015 and Ministry of Mines Gazzette Notification rd G.S.R. 927(E). dated 3 December, 2015 vide letter dated 462 / / एम.एल. / 2016 द셍ु ग ददन 車क 25.05.2016. 1 Bhilai Steel Plant 5.0 Geology & Reserve: The mineralized beds are horizontal to sub-horizontal (max. dip 10 towards North). Bedding plane joints are found in third bench. Beside these, a set of weak joints are prevailing all over the area. The area is devoid of major geotectonic disturbances. The presence of columnar branching stromatolites indicates the shallow water marine condition with gentle slopes at the bottom. A protected inter/tidal environment is best suited for their growth their well laminated nature rules out their deep sea origin. Carbonate sedimentation results basically from chemical and bio-chemical process occurring marine environment, indicating clear, shallow, warm water origin. At present reserve balance is 101.83 MT as on 01.04.2018 6.0 Objectives: To obtained Environment Clearance for Nandini Limestone Mines of Bhilai Steel Plant, M/s Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) in Tehsil: Damdha, District: Durg (Chhattisgarh) for Expansion of Lease area from 526.34 ha to 549.03 ha (Expansion area 22.69 ha) with production capacity remaining same i.e. 1.08 MTPA as per EIA Notification 2006. It is proposed to expansion of lease area for 22.69 hect to include Crushing & Screening Unit, Loading siding & Mineral storage area, under Mining lease as per IBM guide line (Ref to Honorable Supreme Court judgment dated 21.04.2014 in writ petition (Civil) No.435 of 2012) The proposed area of 22.69 Ha is under acquired land of BSP in the village Kasardihi & Ahirwara. Hence after expansion of Lease the Lease area will be 549.03 Ha. 7.0 Need of the Project: M/s Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL/(BSP), a Government of India Enterprise, Eleven (11) - times proud winner of Prime Minister's Trophy for best Integrated Steel Plant in the country, Bhilai Steel Plant (BSP) is engaged in manufacture of Iron and Steel including rails and heavy steel plates and major producer of structural. The Bhilai Steel Plant is the sole suppliers of the country’s longest rail tracks of 260 m. Bhilai Steel Plant (CG) are producing 5.25 Million Ton per Annum (MTPA). BSP has its own mines to fulfill the requirements of iron ore, dolomite and limestone. SAIL has embarked upon a massive modernization and expansion plant to sustain its present share in future. After modernization and expansion SAIL will witness a quantum jump in hot metal production from 15 to 26.2 MTPA. The mines are captive source of supply Limestone to Bhilai Steel Plant, and dependent on the quantity and qualitative requirement for Hot Metal production, which influences the planned Limestone excavation level & as per IBM guide line expansion of lease over an area of 22.69 Ha is to include Mineral processing, storage and loading area. The gross capital cost of the project so far Rs. 38.09 Cr. 8.0 Proposed Mining and Production Process: At present the mines is operated in 2 shifts for 310 days in a year. The mine is a fully developed mechanized mine operated through standard open-pit technology with deployment of Heavy Earthmoving equipment and other auxiliary equipment. The existing operating benches have been designed / laid out in commensuration with the operating dimensional parameters of the equipment deployed in the mine. Mine is being developed in order to excavate 1.08 MTPA of ore.. Excavation is carried out by conventional shovel-dumper combination using 4.6 cu. m. capacity hydraulic shovel and 50 T capacity rear dump BEML. The haulage of ore and waste is carried out through the haul roads having minimum 18 m width and ramps having minimum 1:16 gradient. Presently ore is transported directly to crusher located adjacent to Mining lease in the acquired land of the company with an average lead of 3.8 km. Waste is being hauled to distance waste dump with average lead of 2.5 km. In order to 2 Bhilai Steel Plant maintain the stability of waste dump it is proposed to keep the slope of the waste dump at 28°, suitable terrace width not less than 20m at 30m vertical interval will be maintained as far as practicable. It is intended to that mined out areas would be leveled and rehabilitated by afforesting suitable species of trees. The company develops one large size water storage reservoir cater water for domestic use and convert one old abandon quarry to water storage for industrial use for sprinkling, Crushing Plant cooling system & afforestation. The water requirement for mines is 1210 m³ per day i.e around 3,75,000 m³/annum. 9.0 Baseline Environmental Status Present Status: A well established Environment Monitoring Lab with qualified persons of BSP is exists in the Iron Ore Complex, Dalli-Rajhara. Day-to-Day monitoring was conducted for Air Environment. Water quality is monitored through joint sampling on monthly basis by CECB & BSP officials. Noise and vibration study conducted on regular basis. The remedial measures/action is taken on urgent basis. Afforestation is done in and around mining lease area annually. The monthly Environment compliance reports are sent to SAIL Board. CSR activities like organizing medical camp, construction of class room, village roads etc are planned & execute in a systemic manner in the buffer zone villages. Air & Water consent available for 90,000T/month Proposed EIA/EMP Bhilai Steel Plant, M/s SAIL to assess the physical environmental components like air, water, noise, land and biological quality, socio economic status in the surrounding area covering 10 km radius around the mines site and to prepare EIA/EMP report is engaged ABC Techno Labs India Private Limited, Accredited by National Accreditation Board for Education and Training (NABET), a division of Quality Council of India (QCI) through M/s Richardson & Cruddas (1972) Ltd., Chennai (A Govt. of India undertaking) under Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, GoI one of the pioneers in the field of Environmental Engineering for the past three decades. Public Hearing The public hearing for the project has been conducted on 16.02.2018 and its minutes are sent to MoEFCC. 10.0 Conclusion: Purpose for obtaining EC is needed for the mine to operate more environment friendly, technically and economically feasible. Massive plantation, green belt development in a systematic manner and will help to increase the biodiversity of plants and birds in the area. …………………….. 3 .