Proposed Limestone Slabs Quarry By Sri M.A. Aziz Karankote (V), Tandur (M), Vikarabad (D) Environment Management Plan 1. INTRODUCTION In a developmental activity like Limestone Slabs mining, all the exercises must co-exist satisfactorily with its surrounding condition so as to minimize the adverse impact on the environment. To control the likely adverse impacts and to achieve this goal, it is necessary to prepare an Environmental Management Plan, which has to be implemented by the proponents, in order to achieve environmental protection along with production profits. Hence, Environmental Management Plan has been prepared for submission to State Environmental Impact Assessment Authority / State Expert Appraisal committee as per EIA notification 2006 and the amendments thereof for clearance of the proposed mining area. Sri M.A. Aziz has filed an application for quarry lease for Limestone Slabs over an extent of 0.506 Ha. in Sy. No: 18/A of Karankote Village, Tandur Mandal, Vikarabad District, Telangana and the Deputy Director of Mines and Geology, Telangana has granted the quarry lease in favor of Sri M.A. Aziz for a period of 10 years vide notice No. 3538/QL/VKB/2018, Dated 28-11-2018. Quarry Plan was approved by Deputy Director of Mines & Geology, Hyderabad region vide letter No: 3868/QP/VKBD/2018, dated 07-05-2019. 2. PROJECT PROPONENT Sri M.A. Aziz, is a Quarry Contractor and mineral trader. He is doing the business of mineral trading for the past few years and is one of the key suppliers of Limestone Slabs to the industries from this region. Having significant experience in the mineral trading and Quarry of Stone & Metal, to expand his business activities, applied Quarry Lease for Stone & Metal over an extent of 0.506 Ha. In Sy. No: 18/A, Karankote Village, Tandur Mandal, Vikarabad District, Telangana. 2.1 Project Location and Accessibility Limestone Slabs Quarry is proposed at Karankote Village, Vikarabad District, Telangana. The quarry lease area is located at a distance of 0.7 km due South-West from Ogipur Village. The location of the mine area falls under, Survey of India, Topo- sheet number 56 G/07 and bounded by North Latitude 170 18’ 11.19” - 170 18’ 15.34” N and Longitude 770 27’ 42.38” - 770 27’ 44.50”E. Features in the immediate mine lease boundary surroundings are given below: 1 Proposed Limestone Slabs Quarry By Sri M.A. Aziz Karankote (V), Tandur (M), Vikarabad (D) Environment Management Plan Lease Boundaries North - Barren Lands East - Limestone Slabs Quarries West - Limestone Slabs Quarries South - Limestone Slabs Quarries The salient features of the project are given in Table: 1 Table-1: Salient Features of the Quarry Lease Area Limestone Slabs Quarry Of Project Name Sri M.A. Aziz Mining Lease Area 0.506 Ha. Sy. No. 18/A of Karankote Village, Tandur Mandal, Location Vikarabad District, Telangana Toposheet No. 56G/07 Plain ground with gentle sloping ground towards South of the Topography Q.L area. Minerals of mine Limestone Slabs Proposed production of mine 1200 Tonnes/ Annum Method of mining Open cast semi mechanized method No. of working days 250 days Water demand 2.5 KLD Sources of water From nearby villages through tankers Ultimate depth of Mining 8.25 m below the overburden Man power 10 Nearest railway station Tandur Railway Station – 14.2 km (SE) Nearest state highway/ NH-9 from Hyderabad to Pune – 44m (N) national highway Nearest Port Krishnapatnam port – 440.8 km (SE) Nearest Airport Rajiv Gandhi International Airport – 103.8 Km (E) Project Cost Rs. 10 Lakhs 2 Proposed Limestone Slabs Quarry By Sri M.A. Aziz Karankote (V), Tandur (M), Vikarabad (D) Environment Management Plan 2.2 Infrastructure and communication: The quarry lease area is situated at a distance of 46.8 km East from the district headquarters Vikarabad. The nearest Town Tandur is situated at 14.2 km in SE direction from the lease area. Amenities like post & telegraph office, police station, primary health centre etc are available in all the villages. Water is available at the nearby villages and in nearby agricultural bore wells from Q.L applied area. Power connection is available at nearby villages. Agriculture is important occupation of the local people. Salient features of the Project Details Measurement Nearest village & Habitation Karankote Village – 0.9 km (E) Road access Approach Road, 0.24 km, South Chatarsal to Karankote road - 0.24 km (SE) Nearest town Tandur – 14.9 km (ESE) Rail network Tandur Railway Station – 14.2 km (SE) Nearest water source Borewells and Tankers from outside River/Stream Mullamari River – 1.9 km (SSW) Kagna River – 3.8 km (S) Dindi Vagu – 6.2 km (N) Forest boundary NA Interstate Boundary Telangana – Karnataka Boundary – 1.6 km (W) There are 7 existing mines and 2 applications are located within 500 m. from the lease area. However out of 7 mines, 3 mines were expired as the lease period is completed and remaining 4 mines were granted in 2009 & Nearest mines if any 2010. Another 2 leases were applications only. Hence no leases were considered as in cluster. Copy of cluster certificate is enclosed as Annexure-I. Topographical map showing 10 km radius is shown in Figure – 1.1. 3 Proposed Limestone Slabs Quarry By Sri M.A. Aziz Karankote (V), Tandur (M), Vikarabad (D) Environment Management Plan FIGURE – 1.1: TOPOGRAPHICAL MAP SHOWING 10 KM RADIUS AROUND THE MINE LEASE AREA 4 Proposed Limestone Slabs Quarry By Sri M.A. Aziz Karankote (V), Tandur (M), Vikarabad (D) Environment Management Plan 3. GEOLOGY 3.1 Topography: The Quarry lease applied is a plain ground with gentle sloping ground towards south of the Q.L area. There is a maximum relief of 1m (443-442m) towards south. The applied area is a barren land and the rest sides being barren lands with working quarries of limestone slabs on east, west and south sides of the applied Q.L area. The lands to the north are open barren lands. 3.2 Regional Geology: The limestone deposits occurring in the area belong to main Bhima Basin group of Upper Proterozoic period. The rocks of Bhima basin rests over the rocks of Archean basement with a marked unconformity comprise of conglomerate and grit in the granitic terrain. They are considered equivalent of Vindhyan systems. The following stratigraphic sequence has been identified in the region. Geological Age Formations Recent Soil, Alluvium Bhima Group Upper Bhimas(Flaggy Limestones) Middle Bhimas(Massive Limestones) Lower Bhimas (Shale & Sand stones) 3.3 Local Geology The Limestone deposits occurring in Vikarabad district belong to a group of rocks known as Bhima Series. The main Bhima basin is in the Bijapur and Gulbargadistricts of Kamataka. Only a small eastern extension of the basin is exposed inTelangana in Vikarabad district. Within the applied quarry lease area, the limestone occurs as grey to dark grey limestone and pink shales. Most of the area within the quarry lease applied is covered by black soil (ranges 0.85m to 1.10m) with outcrops of limestone here and there. The geology of the area has been constructed based on surface geological mapping and subsurface data of the adjacent working quarries. The general strike of the formation is NW-SE with beds usually dipping west and southwest at low angles of 20 to 30, as observed from the outcrops exposed in western side of the applied Q.L area. The general geological succession in the area is given below: Litho unit Thickness Soil 0.85 m to 1.10 m Massive limestone 0-22.5m Pink Shale Not known 5 Proposed Limestone Slabs Quarry By Sri M.A. Aziz Karankote (V), Tandur (M), Vikarabad (D) Environment Management Plan In the subject applied Q.L area the massive thick bedded limestone (bazaad) occurs over a thickness up to 3.80m followed by the moderate to thin bedded limestone over a thickness of max.8.5m and followed by variegated Limestone of reddish colour and followed by pink shales. 4. EXPLORATION/PROSPECTING: No trial pits have been made in the subject Q.L applied area. No boreholes of any type have been carried out in the subject area and have been proposed in the Quarry Plan. 5. RESERVES The ore body of Limestone Slabs is occurring as massive flat body below the black soil/thick bedded Limestone beds. The area spreads over an average length of 123 m and width of 42 m. The thickness of the ore body not uniform and is varying with thickness ranging from 8 m to 8.25 m beds. The Limestone Slabs is occurring as a massive body below the general ground level below the black soil of 0.85 m-1.10 m thick and thick bedded limestone of 3.40 m to 3.80 m thick. The quality of Limestone Slabs ore changes with depths. The bottom 5.00 – 5.50 m thick light grey coloured Limestone Slabs (Parchi) is of low grade. For the present estimation the following procedure has been adopted. As per the classification of UNFC the deposit falls under (IV) Lenses, Veins and pockets, irregular shaped modest to small size bodies. Summary of Geological & Mineable Reserves are given in table below: TABLE 5.1: Geological Reserves Category Quantity (Tonnes) A. Total Geological Reserves 31830 B. Reserves Blocked under 7.5 m Buffer Zone 14252 Reserves available for mining @ 60% Recovery 17578 Average annual production 1200 Life of the Mine 17578 / 1200 = 14.65 say 15 Years 6 Proposed Limestone Slabs Quarry By Sri M.A. Aziz Karankote (V), Tandur (M), Vikarabad (D) Environment Management Plan 6.0 MINING METHODOLOGY 6.1 Type of mining: The method of quarrying is opencast, other than fully mechanized for overburden waste removal using excavator and tipper combination.