STUDY OF FLORA, FAUNA& CONSERVATION PLAN (SCHEDULE-I WILD ANIMALS) FOR THE PROPOSED EXPANSION PROJECT OF SHAH SPONGE & POWER LTD. AT VILLAGE: BHUMRI (JURI), P.O. HATA, DISTRICT: EAST SINGHBHUM, JHARKHAND [ TOR LETTER NO. J-11011/891/2007-IA. II (I)] STUDY PERIOD-1STOCTOBER TO 31ST DECEMBER 2016 SUBMITTED BY M/SSHAH SPONGE AND POWERLIMITED 2ndFLOOR,PADMALAYA, PLOTNO.18, RAM MANDIRSHOP AREA, INFRONTOF HDFCBANK,BISTUPUR, JAMSHEDPUR PREPARED BY VARDAN ENVIRONET NABET CERTIFICATE NO.-NABET/EIA/1619/RA 0037 D-142, SUSHANT LOK-III SECTOR-57, GURGAON (HARYANA) Email: [email protected] Table of Contents S.NO. PARTICULARS PAGE NO. 1. Chapter 1: Introduction 3 2. Chapter 2: Objectives and Methodology 21 3. Chapter 3: Status of Flora and Fauna 24 4. Chapter 4: Fauna Conservation Plan: Species Specific 32 Introduction 32 Decline of Wildlife 32 Status of the Forest, their Category in study area 32 Scheduled Fauna in the Study Area 33-65 5. Chapter 5: Action Plan and Financial Projection for Conservation 66 plan 6. Chapter 6: Bibliography 71 ANNEXURES I. ToR LetterJ-11011/891/2007-IA. II(I) CHAPTER -1 PROJECT BACKGROUND 1.1 Introduction Shah Sponge & Power Ltd is a private limited company in the business of production of Sponge Iron (200 TPD), Pig Iron (60 TPD) and Power generation (8 MW) at Juri, P.O. – Hata, District – East Singhbhum, Jharkhand. The company wishes to expand the capacities of the existing Sponge Iron Plant from 60,000 to 1,20,000 TPA, Captive Power Plant from 8 MW to 30 MW and to install downstream facilities Steel Melting Shop for production of 1,58,000 TPA liquid steel with Continuous Casting for production of 1,51,000 TPA Billets, Rolling Mill for production of 90,000 TPA Rolled products, in two phases. M/s Shah Sponge & Power Ltd. has also proposed to install Fly Ash Brick Plant of capacity 60,000 bricks per day . The company has sound financial background and good market base which they will use to install the steel production units along with CPP to become economic steel producer of the region. The technology involved in the installation of additional unit is not complex and technical & project consultants of M/s Shah Sponge will assist them in whatsoever to commission the plant within shortest period possible. 1.2 Project proponent The company has been promoted by a Group of experience businessmen who are presently engaged in manufacturing and trading of various products. The company is professionally managed and has successfully operated Steel Plant & Captive Power Plant in the past. For becoming leading steel maker in Jharkhand the Company has decided to go for Expansion in steel making &power generation in two phases: ABOUT THE DIRECTORS: S. No. Name & Designation Age Qualification Experience 1. Shri Shyam Sunder Shah, 55 B. Sc. About 30 years in mining & Director. trading in iron and other sector 2. Shri Raj Kumar Shah, 52 B.A., LLB About 23 years in mining & Director. trading in iron and other sector 3. Smt. Sumitra Shah, 27 MBA About 03 years in Iron and steel C.E.O. sector. 1.2.1 Details of the project The project is for expansion of existing Sponge Iron Plant from 60,000 to 1,20,000 TPA and Power Generation from 8 MW to 30 MW and for installation of Induction Furnaces with Billet Caster and Rolling Mill for production of 1,58,000 TPA of liquid steel, 1,51,000 TPA Billets and 90,000 TPA Rolled Products (TMT Bar & Structural Steel), respectively. Table 1.1 Existing and Proposed Project Unit Existing Facilities Proposed Facilities Total after Expansion Sponge Iron Plant 2x100 TPD 2x100 TPD 4x100 TPD Mini Blast Furnace 1x 30 m3 (60 TPD) - 1x 30 m3 (60 TPD) Steel Melting Shop Induction Furnace - 4x12 T (480 TPD) 4x12 T (480 TPD) Billet Caster - 2 Strand 6x11 m 2 Strand 6x11 m radius (458 TPD) radius (458 TPD) Rolling Mill - 300 TPD 300 TPD Power Plant 8 MW 22 MW 30 MW WHRB 2x11 TPH 2x11 TPH 4x11 TPH AFBC Boiler 1x30 TPH 1x55 TPH and 2x55 TPH Up-gradation of 1x30 TPH to 1x55 TPH Fly-ash Brick Plant - (60,000 Bricks per (60,000 Bricks per day) day) CHAPTER 2 OBJECTIVES AND METHODOLOGY 2.1 Introduction to Ecology Floristic and Faunistic pattern of the area was studied based on opportunistic survey (personal observation), inquiries from the local people and forest officials and secondary data. The study area falls under District East Singhbhum, Jharkhand.The biodiversity we see today is the fruit of billions of years of evolution, shaped by natural processes. The vast array of interactions among the various components of biodiversity makes the planet habitable for all species, including humans. There is a growing recognition that, biological diversity is a global asset of tremendous value to present and future generations. At the same time, the threat to species and ecosystems has never been as great as it is today. Species extinction caused by human activities continues at an alarming rate. Protecting biodiversity is in our self-interest. Ecological impact assessment (EcIA) is used to predict and evaluate the impacts of development activities on ecosystems and their components, thereby providing the information needed to ensure that ecological issues are given full and proper consideration in development planning. Environmental impact assessment (EIA) has emerged as a key to sustainable development by integrating social, economic and environmental issues in many countries. EcIA has a major part to play as a component of EIA but also has other potential applications in environmental planning and management (Kumar, 2014). 2.2 Objectives and Methods 2.2.1 Objectives The present study was undertaken with the following objectives to assess the nature and distribution of vegetation in and around the project site within the study area: • To assess the type of wild animals within the study area; • To assess the biodiversity of natural system present in the study area; • To ascertain migratory routes of fauna and possibility of breeding grounds within the study area; 2.2.2 Methodology The study area taken for the study is 10 km radius with the project site complex as center. The different methods adopted were as follows: Inventorisation of flora & fauna: The list of Flora and Fauna found in the Forest Division was collected from the Working Plan (1985-86 to 1994-95) of the division for reference. As the new working plan is still not published, the said working plan is still in operation in the division. The list of flora and fauna found in the region was prepared by conducting field survey and by discussions with concerned Forest Department personnel using the list available in the Working Plan as a base. Generation of primary data through systematic ecological studies: The phyto-sociology of the vegetation (covering frequency, density, abundance and species diversity) in the forest areas falling in the study area was determined by conducting field studies in selected areas (by laying suitable sizes of quadrate). Discussion with local people so as to elicit information about local plant and animals 3 . General Features of the Area The Study area falls under the climatic zone “Tropical wet and dry” (Koppen Classification), under agro-climatic zone 2“ Eastern Plateau and Hills Region” and under agro-ecological zone “Eastern Plateau and Hill regions -hot sub-humid eco-region characterized by hot dry sub- humid ecosystem with Red and Lateritic soils. The vegetation / forest in the study area falls under Tropical Dry Deciduous (Dry peninsular Sal Type SB/C/C) as per Champion & Seth (1968). The East Singhbhum district is seismically stable and falls under the Seismic Zone II as per Seismic Zone India Map IS:1893-2002, BIS, GoI, referred as Low Damage Risk Zone and the probable seismic intensity as expressed in Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale (MSK) is category- VI or less, which is referred to as Low Damage Risk Zone. Table 2.2. Mode of data collection and parameters considered during the Survey S. Aspect Data Mode of Data Parameters Remarks No. collection monitored 1. Terrestrial Primary By field survey Floral and Random survey, data Faunal opportunistic observations, Ecology diversity diurnal bird observation, collection active search for reptiles, faunal habitat assessment, active search for scats and foot prints, animal call 2. Secondary From authentic Floral and Bentham and Hooker, sources viz. Forests Faunal 1862-1883; Hunter, 1879; data department of diversity Dixit, 1984; Ghosh et al., collection Jharkhand and and study 2004; Lushington, 1915; available published of Wilson and Reeder, 1993; literatures from vegetation, BirdLife International, 2000; ZSI, BSI etc. forest type, BirdLife International, importance 2004a, b; Wilson and Reeder, 2005; BirdLife etc. International, 2010; Kumar and Srivastava, 2012; Kumar, 2013; Kumar et al., 2013; Kumar and Aggarwal, 2013a,b). The status of individual species was assessed using the revised IUCN/SSC category system (WCMC, 1988; IUCN, 1994; WCMC, 2000; IUCN, 2001, 2003, 2008, 2010. CHAPTER 3 STATUS FOR FLORA AND FAUNA Flora & Fauna of the Study Area There are some forest stretches in the study area. However, the area is totally agricultural-rural and thus no important wildlife species are found in the study area. Due to human interference, in general the availability of animals in the study area is low.The biotic pressurein the area on wild animals is reported due to industrialization. In study area among the fauna reported are few rodents, reptiles and birds. Large mammals are reported in nearby forest areas. Among the Scheduled animals species reported in study area areVaranus benghalensis(I), Python(I), Cobra(II), Common langur (II), leopard (I), Jungal Cat (II), Porcupine (IV), Mongoos (II), Wild bore (III), Barking dear (III), Blue Bull (III), etc.