AVIFAUNA STUDY In And Around KARO OPENCAST COAL MINING PROJECT (226.67 Ha) BOKARO Forest Division (F. No.8-42/2017-FC) September 2019 Environment and Forest Department Central Coalfields Limited (A Subsidiary of Coal India Ltd) Darbhanga House Ranchi-834001 CCL, Environment & Forest Deptt Avifauna Study Plan INDEX SL NO. CONTENTS PAGE NO. 1 Index i 2 Abbreviation & Symbols ii 3 List of Table iii List of Figures iii List of Plates iii Executive Summary iv 4 Chapter -1 : 1-8 1.1 Introduction 1 1.2 Accessibility and communication 1 1.3 Location 1 1.4 Climate and Rainfall data 1 1.5 Purpose of the Report 2-3 1.6 Scope of Work 3 1.7 Objective of the Study 3 1.8 Methodology 3-8 1.9 Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) 8 5 Chapter -2 9-10 2.1 Status of Habitat 9 2.2 Avifauna in Karo OCP 9 2.3 The common plants used by the birds in the locality 9-10 2.4 Assessment of threats 10 6 Chapter -3 11-16 3.1 Provision of suitable alternate habitat 11-12 3.2 Artificial nesting sites development 12-13 3.3 Community participation in conservation 13 3.4 Control of pollution of various kinds 14 3.5 Awareness Program 14 3.6 Monitoring 14 3.7 Budget 14-16 7 Citation 17 8 Disclosure 18 9 Plates A-F 10 Annexure I-IV Karo OCP (226.67 Ha) i F.No.8-42/2017-FC CCL, Environment & Forest Deptt Avifauna Study Plan Abbreviation & Symbols CF Conservator of Forest DFO Divisional Forest officer E East EIA Environment Impact Assessment etc. Extra Fig. Figure FC Forest Clearance F.No. File number GoI Government of India G.T. Grand Trunk Ha Hectare HSI Habitat Suitability Index Km Kilo meter ICUN m Meter mm Mili Meter MoEFCC Ministry of Environment Forest & Climate Change MTPA Million Ton per Annum N North No(s). Number(s) OB Over burden OCP Opencast Coal Project RDB Red Book Stage I In-principle Approval of Forest Land Stage II Diversion order of Forest Land Yr Year % Percentage 0C Degree Centigrade º Degree ′ Minute ″ Second @ At the rate Karo OCP (226.67 Ha) ii F.No.8-42/2017-FC CCL, Environment & Forest Deptt Avifauna Study Plan List of Figures Sl no. Content Page No. Fig. 1 Location of Karo OCP on Top sheet 2 Fig. 2 Yearwise installation of artificial nest 13 Fig. 3 Capital Outlay 13 Fig. 4 Year wise & Activity wise Capital Outlay (in Rs. Lakhs) 15 Fig. 5 Activity wise & Year wise Capital Outlay (in Rs. Lakhs) 16 List of Tables Sl no. Content Page No. Table 1 Status of different applied forest proposal of Karo OCP 2 Table 2 List of plantations/Agro forestry species in core and buffer zone 2 Table 3 List of Natural vegetation in upper layer (Tree) in core and buffer 5 zone Table 4 List of fauna (mammals) in core and buffer zone 6 Table 5 List of Avifauna (mammals) in core and buffer zone 6-7 Table 6 List of Avifauna in core & Buffer Zone 7 Table 7 Yearwise installation of artificial nest in the proposed site 13 Table 8 Budget Provision Yearwise 15 List of Plates Sl no. Contents Page No. Plate-A Avifauna at Study Area A Plate-B Flora at Study Area B-D Plate-C Site for Artificial Nesting E-F Karo OCP (226.67 Ha) iii F.No.8-42/2017-FC CCL, Environment & Forest Deptt Avifauna Study Plan Chapter-1 1.0 Introduction Karo Expansion OCP (11/15 MTPA normative/peak capacity) & integrated Karo Washery (7 MTPA), B&K Area, Central Coalfields Limited is proposed within an area of 552.84 Ha. The project is situated in the north-eastern part of East Bokaro coalfield and covered on Survey of India Topo-sheet no- 73E/13 (1:50000 RF) (Fig. 1) Karo OCP was granted environmental clearance for 1.50 MTPA capacity vide letter number J-11015/544/2009- IA.II(M) dated 24.12.2014. ToR for Karo Expansion OCP (11/15 MTPA normative/peak capacity) & integrated Karo Washery (7 MTPA) has been issued vide letter no. J- 11015/544/2009-IA-II(M) (IA/JH/CMIN/29962/2015) dtd. 03.11.2015. Presently opencast operations are being carried out. A pit top washery has been proposed for washing of non-coking coal @ 7 MTPA. 1.1 Accessibility and communication: Karo OCP is in East Bokaro Coalfield and lies on the Gomoh-Barkakana-Dehri-on-Sone loop line of Eastern Railway. Bermo railway station on this line is located at a distance of about 5 Km to the south of Kaveri (Karo-II) Block. The East-west running Gomia- Jarangdih-Phusro-Jaina More Road, which meets the Bishnugarh-Petarwar Road and Dhanbad-Ramgarh Road, connects the coalfield with Hazaribagh, Dhanbad and Ranchi. This road is located to the south of the Kaveri (Karo-II) Block. The block is also connected to Bokaro Thermal Power Station in the west and Phusro in the southeast by metal road. The nearest township Phusro is situated at a distance of about 7 Km. Phusro is connected to the G.T. road by Phusro Dumri road. The nearest airport is Ranchi. 1.2 Location Lattitude : 23º 47′ 02″ N to 23º 48′ 38″ N Longitude: 85º 57′ 27″ E to 85º 58′ 38″ E 1.3 Climate and Rainfall data: The climate is extreme. The summer, which is between April and June, is very hot. The maximum temperature reaches upto 460C during summer and the minimum temperature reaches 40C during winter months of December and January. The average rainfall is usually about 1200 mm during monsoon. Karo OCP (226.67 Ha) 1 F.No.8-42/2017-FC CCL, Environment & Forest Deptt Avifauna Study Plan Fig 1. Location of Karo OCP on Toposheet 1.4 Purpose of the Report : A proposal for diversion of forest land for its non forest use for Karo OCP CCL had submitted a proposal to concern department for the release of 226.67 Ha. of forest land for Karo Opencast Project to MoEFCC, GoI through DFO, Bokaro Forest Division, Bokaro, Jharkhand. The Stage-I has been granted vide letter no. 8-25/2009-FC dated 24/12/2018 (Annexure I). Status of other proposal falling in the leasehold area is at tabe 1. Condition no. (xvii) of the diversion order stipulates to create alternate habitat/ home for the avifauna, whose nesting trees are to be cleared in this project in consultation with Concerned DFO. The condition stipulated quotes as under : Quote … “ (xvii) User agency in consultation with the State Forest Department shall create and maintain alternate habitat/ home for the avifauna, whose nesting trees are to be cleared in this project. Bird nests artificially made out of eco-friendly materials shall be used in the Karo OCP (226.67 Ha) 2 F.No.8-42/2017-FC CCL, Environment & Forest Deptt Avifauna Study Plan area, including forest area and human settlements, adjoining the forest area being diverted for the project;” … Unquote. As such a study for reparation of report for creation and maintenance of alternate habitat / home for avifauna has been prepared. Table 1 : Status of different applied forest proposal of Karo OCP. Sl Name of Proposal Forest Area MoEFCC file Remarks no. Involved (Ha) no. 1 Kaveri OCP 77.43 8-22/2003-FC Stage-II granted on 31.03.04 (77.43 Ha)/ (Karo OCP) 2 Karo OCP 226.67 8-25/09-FC Stage I granted on 24.12.18. (226.67 Ha) Stage II under Process 3 Coal dispatch 7.5 FP/JH/MIN/1 Online Application made on conveyor of Karo 6311/2015 30.10.15. Stage-I under OCP (7.5 Ha) process. 1.5 Scope of Work:- For this study project proponent met with Divisional forest officer, Bokaro Range & Conservator of forest on 01/03/19, 07/05/19, 14/05/19, 28/05/19, 27/07/19 & 16/09/19 and discussed the matter. 1.6 Objective of the Study : The objective of the study is to prepare a report to create and maintain alternate habitat/ home for the avifauna, whose nesting trees are to be cleared in this project. Bird nests artificially made out of eco-friendly materials shall be used in the area, including forest area and human settlements, adjoining the forest area being diverted for the project as per stipulated condition in Stage-I. 1.7 Methodology This study report is based on a study made by VRDS Consultant, Chennai conducted flora & fauna study during the month of November, 2015 as a part of Environment Impact assessment. This is the part chapter of Environmental Management plan for Karo Expansion OCP (11/15) & Integrated Coking Coal washery (7 MTPA) for which Terms of reference (TOR) has been issued by Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) vide letter no. J-11015/544/2009-IA-II(M) (IA/JH/CMIN/29962/ 2015) dtd. 03.11.2015. The relevant portion of the report is as under : The study covered floral component as well as faunal element. Identification of faunal elements (animal species) of core and buffer zone are identified by direct sightings or indirect Karo OCP (226.67 Ha) 3 F.No.8-42/2017-FC CCL, Environment & Forest Deptt Avifauna Study Plan evidences viz. pug marks, skeletal remains, scats and droppings etc. A Binocular were used for the observations. The authenticity of faunal elements occurrence were confirmed by interaction with the local forest department / people.