ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN

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1 ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN INTRODUCTION An Environmental Management Plan (EMP) is a site-specific plan developed to ensure that all necessary measures are identified and implemented in order to protect and minimize the potential environmental impacts from the proposed project, to mitigate/nullify the consequences and comply with environment requirement. An Environment Management Plan (EMP) is required to ensure sustainable development in the mine area. Environment is affected due to mining and crushing, when the mining is an opencast one. To look into the environmental aspects of open cast stone mining of sheikhpura, below is described an impact analysis and Environmental Management Plan. Proposed EMP for the stone mining and crusher project under consideration is described below: 1) MANAGEMENT OF AIR ENVIRONMENT Following actions shall be planned in order to control the air pollution from various aspects of mining and crushing activity: a. Sharp drills will be used to keep dust generation to minimum. b. Wet drilling shall be carried out to contain the dust c. Controlled blasting techniques will be adopted such as muffling as well as staggered blasting d. Drilling units shall be equipped with water spraying system e. Dust suppression systems (water spray) to be provided at loading faces and on roads used for transporting product and waste material. f. Water sprinkler shall be provided to avoid dust generation during material unloading and crushing g. Dense plantation shall be carried out in and around the lease area. This would also help in combating air pollution. Wind breaking wall Page-1

2 shall be erected to avoid air pollution transport. h. Regular maintenance of vehicles and machinery shall be carried out in order to control emissions and meet the norms. 2) MANAGEMENT OF WATER ENVIRONMENT The water is required for dust suppression, sanitation and green plants. The following measures shall be adopted for prevention of water pollution and conservation: a. Garland drains fitted with catch pits, sedimentation tanks, gabions etc. to be constructed. It is aimed at collecting, filtering and channelizing runoff /erosion of dumping material taking place during rainy season. b. The Garland drains catch pits, sedimentation tanks etc will be stabilized by grass seeding besides plantation of herb and shrub. This will help bind the soil as also reduce rain drops impact. Thus, water pollution will be controlled to a great extent. c. Two number of Rain water harvesting ponds will be excavated to collect, store besides percolating rain water into the ground water. The water collected will be subjected to green belt irrigation as also for dust suppression. An equal number of percolations cum recharge pits will be bored to collect, filter, percolate, recharge ground water and improve water availability in the area. 3) MANAGEMENT OF NOISE POLLUTION AND GROUND VIBRATIONS Noise pollution Important sources of noise generation shall be drilling, blasting, movement of heavy machinery as Dumpers, Excavator and crushers etc. besides operation of crushers. Following control measures shall be adapted to the ambient noise levels well below the limits: a. Drilling and blasting Controlled blasting with proper spacing shall be maintained Blasting shall be designed and arranged in such a way that only one Page-2

3 or two holes are blasted at a time The blasting shall be carried out during favorable atmospheric conditions and less human activity timings such as lunch timings. b. Heavy machinery Proper and timely maintenance of machineries. Old vehicles to be scrapped at defined interval. Only technically competent operators to be deployed on vehicles. Silencers shall be provided to modulate the noise generated by machines. c. DG set Major noise generating equipment like DG set will be housed The prime movers/diesel engines shall be properly maintained d. General Ear plug and muff to be provided Rotation of duties Keep areas unmanned as far as practical e. A thick greenbelt shall be provided in phased manner around the periphery of the mining activities as well as other vulnerable areas to attenuate noise 4) LAND RECLAMATION AND REHABILITATION Land degradation is one of the major adverse impacts of opencast mining activities and any effort to control adverse impacts would be incomplete without appropriate land reclamation strategy. it is necessary to reclaim the disturbed land in the mining areas to fulfill the following objectives: a. To put the land to productive uses such as agriculture, forestry, water reservoir etc.; b. To restore the aesthetic value of the area. Page-3

4 5) MANAGEMENT OF ECOLOGY A thick safety zone cum green belt will be developed in 7.5 meter width of the lease all along the periphery of mine. Plant species for the green belt will be selected on following basis: i) Native plant species that can support the local fauna. ii) Growth rate and suitability in terms of climatic conditions iii) Easy to propagate in nurseries iv) Ability of the tree species to act as screen v) Property of holding the soil and protecting it from erosion. vi) Thick enough to work as windbreaker The main aim of plantation in the mined out areas is to stabilize the land to protect it from rain and wind erosion. The plantation scheme broadly covers the following areas: Greenbelt around peripheral portions of mine and other built-up structures; Afforestation of barren areas in the lease hold and Plantation by way of reclamation /rehabilitation of mined out blocks. Apart from the greenbelt and aesthetic plantations for fugitive emissions and noise control, all other massive plantation efforts shall be executed with the assistance and co-operation of the local community. Provision of a thick greenbelt around the mine has been envisaged to reduce any adverse impacts on the surrounding population from the emissions from the mining activity. The greenbelt formation and development of greenery in the mine shall not only enhance the air quality and attenuate noise in the surrounding area but also enhance the aesthetic value. Recommended Plant Species recommended for Mine Area and its Boundary: Acacia nilotica Leuceana leucocephala Albizzia species Tamarindus indicas Acacia auriculiformis Prosopis species Azadirachta indicata Syzygium cuminii Page-4

5 Annona squamosa Tamarindus indica Bauhinia variegata Terminelia arjuna Butea monosperma Zizyphus species Cassia fistula Carissa species Dalbergia sisoo Feronia species Erythrina indica Phylanthus species Lantana camara Ficus benghalensis Ficus religiosa Azadiracta indica Plantation Schedule Plantation of saplings will be carried out during monsoon (ie, June to September). 6) MEASURES TO IMPROVE SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONDITIONS OF THE REGION Best possible efforts will be made to improve the socio-economic status of the population in the neighborhood. Special focus will be on Primary education Health Animal husbandry Rural water supply and Assistance in promoting government programs. 7) OCCUPATION HEALTH AND SAFETY MEASURES Occupational safety and health is very closely related to productivity and good employer-employee relationship. The main factors of occupational health in granite are fugitive dust and noise. Safety of employee during blasting operation and maintenance of mining equipment and handling of explosive materials are taken care of as per Mine Regulations, To avoid any adverse effect on the health of workers due to dust, heat, noise and vibration, sufficient measures have been proposed in the mining project. These include: Page-5

6 a. Provision of wet drilling and dust collectors b. Provision of rest shelters for mine workers with amenities Iike Drinking water, fans, toilets etc; c. Provision of personal protection devices to the workers; d. Rotation of workers exposed to noise premises; e. Closed control room in crusher house with proper ventilation; f. Dust suppression of haul road; and g. First-aid facilities in the mining area. To adhere to safety measures Safety helmets, safety boots, safety goggles will be provided to the workers. To minimize the dust problem periodic water spraying will be made. An emergency First Aid Kit as per St. John Ambulance approved Norm will be maintained at the mine office. Though there will be deployment of machines in the area for carrying out mining operation but noise and air pollution will be kept within permissible limit. Occupational Health Survey of the employees will be carried out at regular intervals as required by law. The following measures will be taken to prevent occupational diseases and health hazards. - Pre-employment, pre-placement and periodic medical examination of employees. - Regular monitoring of working environment and implementation of safety and control measures. - Use of protective equipment as clothing, helmets, gas mask &, shoes. - Periodical medical examination of all workers will be done once in two years to detect preventable and curable diseases at an early stage. Page-6

7 Management plan of flora and fauna Flora: Lease area will be provided with fence to protect the entry of men and animals. Fencing of individual tree species would be done for protection from cattle s and others. Plantation will be carried out as per the advice of forest department officials with native species. Plantation pits will be of 1mx1mx1m size. Pit will be filled with top soil (already stacked) with an addition of cow dung/farm yard manure. Pit will be provided with temporary fencing of bamboo wood/bush. Regular watering will be done to the plants daily in the required quantity during the first year of plantation/ till the plants are matured. De-weeding in the plantation area will be regularly done for better growth. Maintenance of the plants will be continued for the lease period. The non-survived plants will be replaced by new plants. Fauna: The Lease area will be provided with fence to protect the entry of animals and to prevent accidental fall into the quarry. Controlled blasting technique will be adopted to ensure the minimum noise and ground vibration to cause disturbance to the animals. Assistance will be provided to the local forest department in developing the Plantation so that the animals residing near the mining area does not migrate further. In the event of appearance of snake and other wild animals, it will be ensured that they are not harmed and the forest department officials will be informed for shifting them to the favourable habitats. Page-7