CARRYING CAPACITY STUDY OF SARANDA AND CHAIBASA FOREST DIVISIONS Porahat Forest Division Porahat Forest Division Kolahan Kolahan Forest Division Forest Division Chaibasa Forest Chaibasa Forest Divisions Divisions Saranda Saranda Forest Division Forest Division Location of Saranda and Porahat Forest Division Chaibasa Kolahan Forest Division Division Saranda Chaibasa Forest Division Forest Division A BIRD’s EYE VIEW OF BACKGROUND DEVELOPMENTS The MoEF&CC, in its ATR on the findings of Hon'ble Justice M. B. Shah Commission of Enquiry on the illegal mining in the Saranda forests, to address the concerns of Hon’ble Commission inter-alia submitted as under: Inviolate forest areas will be identified to ensure long term conservation of inviolate areas by notifying them as Conservation Reserve/ Corridors or Ecologically Sensitive Areas Decision Support System to facilitate informed decision on proposals will be put in place if required, commission a study by a multi-disciplinary team to prepare a plan for sustainable mining in the Saranda Forest without impairing long term survival of its rich flora and fauna. In case, any of the mining lease located in Saranda forest, for which approval under the FC Act has already been accorded, is identified as inviolate, MoEFCC will modify such approvals to prohibit use of these areas for mining and other allied activities. MoEFCC will commission a study to assess carrying capacity of Saranda Forests to suggest annual cap (for ore production) and till then the MoEFCC will not accept any new proposal for grant of approval under the FC Act for diversion of forest land for mining in Saranda Forest”. The ATR on observation of Hon’ble Shah commission, submitted by the M/o Mines, was considered and accepted by the Cabinet on 30.07.2014 A BIRD’s EYE VIEW OF BACKGROUND DEVELOPMENTS •MoEF & CC will •commission a study to assess carrying capacity of Saranda Forests to suggest annual cap for ore production. •not accept any new proposal for grant of approval under the FC Act for diversion of forest land for mining in Saranda Forest. •constitute a multi-disciplinary team to examine the recommendation of the expert committee constituted by Jharkhand State Government & Integrated Wildlife Management Plan prepared by the State Government and if required, commission a study by a multi-disciplinary team to prepare a plan for sustainable mining in the Saranda Forest without impairing long term survival of its rich flora and fauna. •The multi-disciplinary team will have the mandate to •identify critical wildlife habitats, corridors linking critical wildlife habitats, rich forests and such other inviolate forest areas in Saranda Forest which needs to be protected and conserved for posterity. •Such identified areas will be notified either as CR/corridors or ecologically sensitive area as per the WP Act or the EP Act. •In case whole or a part of forest land located in any of the mining lease located in Saranda forest, for which approval under the FC Act has already been accorded, is identified as inviolate, MoEFCC will modify such approvals to prohibit use of these areas for mining and other allied activities. •While execution of the study, the team will take into account the Wildlife Conservation Plan prepared by the Expert Committee constituted by the Government of Jharkhand. (page 19) BACKGROUND DEVELOPMENTS CONTD.. POST ATR DEVELOPMENTS MoEF&CC, on 26.08.2014, constituted a Multi-Disciplinary Expert Committee (MDEC) headed by Shri S. S.Bisht to examine the IWMP. MDEC submitted its report with certain observation inter-alia recommending for re-visit of the areas proposed for Conservation Reserve. Observations conveyed to the State Government to finalize IWMP accordingly. Carrying Capacity study (CCSR) was awarded on 23.09.2014 to suggest annual cap for iron ore production to ICFRE, Dehradun, in association with WII, Dehradun & CIMFR, Dhanbad with certain ToRs including incorporating the observation of MDEC in the CCSR. After receipt of observation of the MDEC and interim CCSR from the ICFRE, a meeting was held on 5.10.2015 to examine the observation of the MDEC wherein inter-alia it was decided to provide a map showing elephants movement paths to the MDEC to enable it submit its finalized comments on the IWMP. The State Government of Jharkhand on 14.03.2016 submitted the finalized IWMP, with a copy endorsed to the MDEC, after addressing the initial observation of the MDEC. Final comments of the MDEC are awaited. ICFRE submitted the draft final CCSR on 28.03.2016 MAJOR FINDINGS OF THE CARRYING CAPACITY STUDY S. No. Particulars Number of leases 1. Working mining lease in the Saranda Region 11 2. Infrastructure areas for ore processing stacking and 4 loading in Kiriburu & Meghataburu mines of SAIL 3. Non-working mines 29 (including 18 cancelled leases) 4. Proposed mining lease 18 (including 14 at advance stage, 3 PL and 1 surrendered lease) Total 63 Entire leases of the Saranda and Chaibasa South Forest Divisions were categories into 5 Clusters i.e. Cluster – I, II, III, IV & V which were comprised of 12, 6, 12, 13 and 20 mining leases, respectively. Entire study area was considered as single environmental unit owing to similar climatic facotrs. Mines are operated by open cast method and technologies adopted is broadly divided into three categories viz., mechanized mining, semi-mechanized mining and manual mining. MAJOR FINDINGS OF CCSR CONTD.... Waste generated against the reserves available in the area can be accommodated in the existing dumps or by backfilling in the excavated areas within the lease area. OB dumping is not systematic in the area. Results of existing level of contamination of air including noise, water due to mining activities and other related activities like ore transportation etc. in the study region were found satisfactory except few exceptions in certain areas. An account of floristics composition and life forms in the West Singhbhum District has been provided and among the 7 ranges, the Samta, West Sasangda and North east area of Koyna range have been reported to have rich floristic diversity 36 species of mammals (21 families), 148 species of birds and 92 species of butterflies have been reported in the area. A total of 2321 individuals of aquatic macrobenthic organisms belonging to 65 aquatic macro-invertebrate taxa of 56 families and 14 orders were recorded. MAJOR FINDINGS OF CCSR CONTD.... The elephant population was reported to be 371 during 2005 census that reduced to 253 during 2010 census. IWMP report (2016), has estimated 253 elephant population in 2011 and 200 in 2016. (The summer population estimate varied between 139 in 2011 and 154 in 2012). Three Critical Biological Hotspot areas (Hotspot – I in Sasangda range and Hotspot –II & III in in Koina range in the Saranda Division) have been suggested by the WII, Dehradun. However, ICFRE, in view of existing disturbances in Ankua due to mining operation, transportation of iron ore from SAIL, other biotic interventions recommended to drop Hotspot-III and accordingly, recommended two conservation areas in the West Singhbhum District The supportive iron ore capacity with the existing infrastructure has been recommended to be considered provisionally at 64 MTPA With the strengthening of existing infrastructure, proposed installation of conveyor, railway sidings and other mitigative measure, the supportive capacity may be enhanced to the proposed EC consent capacity of 99.9 MTPA with the required statutory clearances, strict regulation and monitoring mechanism. Assuming 90% efficiency, the same may be rounded off to 90 MTPA. Google map showing the location of the Mine Leases Major River in Saranda Forest Division Compact patches (> 1 Sq KM) of Very Dense Forest (Canopy density >70%) Wildlife presence in Saranda Forest Division (WII) Forest Cover Map (Data period 2013-14) CCSR vis-a-vis Decision Support System/inviolate areas S. No. Particulars Number of leases Number of leases observed as Inviolate as per DSS 1. Working mining lease in the Saranda Region 11 7+ (2-undecided*) 2. Infrastructure areas for ore processing 4 4 stacking and loading in Kiriburu & Meghataburu mines of SAIL 3. Non-working mines 29 (including 18 18 + cancelled leases) (8 undecided) 4. Proposed mining lease 18 (including 3 PL and 1 16 surrendered lease) Total 63 45+(10 undecided) . * DSS analysis can not be performed as the requirement of Decision Rule 2 were not fulfilled . Only 5 blocks were found Not-Inviolate Mapshowing the Hotspots, Conservation area and Elephant presence FURTHER COURSE OF ACTION VIS-À-VIS SUBMISSIONS MADE BY THE MOEF&CC IN THE ATR The Ministry has received CCSR and finalized IWMP from the State Government. Comments of the MEDC are awaited. Further , relevant comments of the MoEF&CC in the ATR are reproduced below: “ if required, commission a study by a multi-disciplinary team to prepare a plan for sustainable mining in the Saranda Forest without impairing long term survival of its rich flora and fauna The team consisting of leading institutions and experts in the field of Wildlife, Environment, Forests, Mining and Social Sciences will have the mandate to identify critical wildlife habitats, corridors linking critical wildlife habitats, rich forests and such other inviolate forest areas in Saranda Forest which needs to be protected and conserved for posterity”. Once the comments on IWMP are received from the MEDC and IWMP & CCSR is accepted by the MoEF&CC, in light of submission made in ATR following course of action will be required : “Constitution of a multi-disciplinary team to prepare a plan for sustainable mining in the Saranda Forest without impairing long term survival of its rich flora and fauna”. Thank You .