Six monthly EC Compliance report of Nuagaon Iron Ore Beneficiation Plant project of M/s. KJS Ahluwalia for the period October, 2013 to March, 2014.

Transcription

1 Six monthly EC Compliance report of Nuagaon Iron Ore Beneficiation Plant project of M/s. KJS Ahluwalia for the period October, 2013 to March, 2014.

2 Status of Environmental Clearance Conditions Nuagaon Iron Ore Beneficiation Plant of M/s. KJS Ahluwalia located in village(s) Nuagaon, and Barapada, Tehsil-Barbil, District Keonjhar, Orissa, A. Specific Conditions. (i) No activities relating to the project shall be undertaken in the forest land for which forestry clearance under the Forest (conservation) Act, 1980 has not been obtained. The environmental clearance subject to grant of forestry clearance. The Forest clearance has obtained over an area of Ha. Vide letter no: 8-17/2001-FC, Dated Presently the beneficiation plant is restricted to 4.0 ha of the above forest clearance area only. However, as per the present notification by MoEF, project has applied for diversion of the entire forest area of ha of the mines lease. (ii) The project proponent shall obtain consent to establish and consent to operate from State Pollution Control Board, Odisha and effectively implement all the conditions stipulated therein. The Consent to Establish for extraction of iron ore of 5.62 MTPA with iron ore beneficiation plant of capacity 2 x 185 TPH with throughput 2.0 MTPA to produce upgraded iron ore concentrate of 1.04 MTPA and sub product of 0.36 MTPA & Consent to operate for extraction of 5.62 MTPA has been granted by the OSPCB which includes installation of one unit of stationary iron ore crushing plant of 400 TPH, Two numbers of Mobile Crushing plant of capacity 150 TPH and one number of Mobile Crushing plant of capacity 175 TPH and 3 numbers of Mobile Screening Plants of capacity 200 TPH, 250 TPH & 150 TPH respectively and 2.0 MTPA of iron ore beneficiation plant. The compliance to the conditions stipulated in the consent to operate is submitted to the pollution control board once in a year. (iii) The company shall submit within 3 months their policy towards corporate environmental responsibility which should inter-alia provide for (I) standard operating processes/ processes to bring into focus any infringement/ deviation/ violation of environmental or forest norms/ conditions, (II) Hierarchical system or Administrative orders of the company to deal with the EC conditions and (III) system of reporting of non-compliances / violations of the environmental norms to the board of Directors of the company and the shareholders or stakeholders. We have already implemented corporate environmental social responsibility policy considering the manual based on the ISO: standards guidelines, which describes the standard operating procedures/ process to counter the deviations/ violations relating to environmental norms/ conditions and reinforcing the same with hierarchical system to check the balance. The quarterly internal audit is being conducted in between departments and Management review meeting is

3 being conducted once in six months. The audit findings are being reported to the top management which includes the non-compliances of the different norms. (iv) The water recovery and spillway system shall be so designed that the natural water resources are not affected and that no spill water goes into the nearby rivers. As we have established a zero liquid discharge based Beneficiation Plant, which involves basically scrubbing, jigging, wet-screening, hydro-cyclone, thickener followed by filter press to handle the tailing, in turn it will generate the tailing in the form of filter cake by which there will be no generation of waste water from the process. However, we have implemented an emergency slime pit, if any process break down occurs. Apart from that we have implemented site specific retaining walls followed by garland drain towards the run off management into the slime pit. (v) The project proponent shall carry out conditioning of the ore with water to mitigate fugitive dust emission. Conditioning of the ore is being followed by the wet process mechanism having the dry fog system in each point of the crusher & screen plant. Beneficiation plant feed hopper point is also provided with dry fog system towards the dust suppression purposes. The photo of the same is enclosed as photo # 1. (vi) The rejects generated in the form of cake from the filter press shall be filled back into the mined out area. Compliance status shall be submitted to the Ministry of Environment& Forest and its regional office located at Bhubaneswar on six monthly basis. The generation of filter press waste i.e. filter cake is dumped in earmarked overburden dump as inter mixed layers. Backfilling will be carried out as per the approved Mining Scheme. (vii) The project proponent shall take appropriate safeguard measures to ensure that the particulate levels remain within permissible limit. Effective water spraying is carried out in all the Beneficiation plant areas (haul road, loading/ unloading point, mineral processing area, dispatch road) with water tankers and to control the fugitive dust emissions. However as it is a part of the mining activity, there are Numbers of Water Tankers with 28 KL, 25 KL, 20 KL, 2 X 15KL are provided for adequate water sprinkling in the entire mine haul roads, transportation area as required. Dry fog systems got provided at

4 screening and crushing plants and are functioning effectively. Fixed water sprinklers of length 2.9 kms are also provided in the haul road & crusher area. The monitoring of AAQ is being done in the core zone i.e. Mines Office, Nuagaon & Monnet area and there are 5 number of monitoring stations in the buffer zone such as Katesahi village, Loidapada village, Panduliposi village, Rengalbeda village, & Malda village. Monitoring of AAQ is carried out except during Monsoon. The monitoring report for the period October 2013 to March 2014 reveals that the parameter like PM10, PM2.5, SO2, and NOx, are well within the norms as per NAAQs notifications made by the CPCB. (viii) Mineral transport after 5 th year shall be carried out only by rail. In this regard, the consultant axyno group has conducted the study for alternate transport system for transportation of the mineral from the mines and concluded that there is no specific requirement of railway siding within the lease hold area. As the existing public railway sidings located at Barbil, Bolani, Jurudi & Bansapani which are connected through NH-215 (expansion to 4 lanes, work is already in progress) is adequate enough to facilitate the transportation of mineral from this mines and the impact will be less than the dedicated railways sidings for the above. And as per IRC norms, presently (year 2013 stage) and after 4 lining of NH-215 road, the traffic in this part of NH-215 is under CATEGORY A (<25% TRAFFIC CAPACITY) only. In this regard, project has applied to The Director, MoEF, IA Division II (M), GoI, New Delhi of the above said condition for amendment in the existing Environment Clearance vide our letter no. NIOM-KJS/MoEF/2013 dated 08th September, (ix) A green belt of adequate width shall be developed all around the plant by planting the native species in consultation with the local DFO/ Agricultural department within first five years. All around the Beneficiation plant area is developed with plantations, however the project has done the saplings of 26,900 numbers of native species including the gap filling across the safety zone, road side, school, Nalla side, OB dump etc. of the Mines lease area. Apart from that 5, 000 numbers of vetiver has been planted in dump as well as mines haul road slope areas. Avenue plantation of 1,500 numbers along the road side, both inside & outside the mines lease area have been done this year. (x) Effective safe guard measures such as regular water sprinkling should be carried out in critical areas prone to air pollution and having high levels of particulate matter such as around crushing and screening plant, haul road, loading and unloading point and transfer points. It shall be ensured that the Ambient Air Quality parameters conform to the norms prescribed by the Central Pollution Control Board in this regard.

5 Effective water spraying is carried out in all the Beneficiation plant areas (haul road, loading/ unloading point, mineral processing area, dispatch road) with water tankers and to control the fugitive dust emissions. However as it is a part of the mining activity, there are Numbers of Water Tankers with 28 KL, 25 KL, 2 X 15KL are provided for adequate water sprinkling in the entire mine haul roads, transportation area as required. Dry fog systems got provided at screening and crushing plants and are functioning effectively. Fixed water sprinklers of length 2.9kms are also provided in the haul road & crusher area. The monitoring of AAQ is being done in the core zone i.e. Mines Office, Nuagaon & Monnet area and there are 5 number of monitoring stations in the buffer zone such as Katesahi village, Loidapada village, Panduliposi village, Rengalbeda village, & Malda village. Monitoring of AAQ is carried out except during Monsoon. The monitoring report for the period October 2013 to March 2014 reveals that the parameter like PM10, PM2.5, SO2, and NOx, are well within the norms as per NAAQs notifications made by the CPCB. (xi) The project authority should implement suitable conservation measures to augment ground resources in the area in consultation with the Regional Director, Central Ground Water Board. In this regard KRG RAIN WATER FOUNDATION, CHENNAI & IIT, Kharagpur team got engaged and the report got prepared in consultation with Regional Director, CGWB, and Bhubaneswar. We have implemented two numbers of roof top Rain Water Harvesting structures to augment ground water resources in consultation with the Regional Director, CGWB; BBSR by engaging IIT, Kharagpur team and KRG Rainwater foundation, Chennai. Check weirs, Check dams, de-silting cum percolation ponds got provided at the strategic locations of the mines lease area. De-siltation of the village ponds surrounded by ML area has undertaken towards percolation cum rain water harvesting purposes and it is being de-silted before each monsoon. (xii) Regular monitoring of ground water level and quality should be carried out in around the mine lease by establishing a network existing well and constructing new piezometers during the mining operation. The periodic monitoring [(at least four times in a year Pre monsoon (April-May), Monsoon (August), Post monsoon (November) and Winter (January); once in each season)] shall be carried out in consultation with the state Ground Water Board/Central Ground Water Authority and the data thus collected may be sent regularly to Ministry of Environment and Forests and its Regional Office, Bhubaneswar, Central Ground Water Authority and Regional Director, Central Ground Water Board. If at any stage, it is observed that the ground water table is getting depleted due to the mining activity; necessary corrective measures shall be carried out. Monitoring of the ground water quality at 6 locations namely Malda village, Roadkela, Guali village, Nilanchal School near Guali village, Rangelbeda village, Panduliposi village. The ground water quality and ground water level is being monitored 4 times a year i.e. pre-monsoon, monsoon, post monsoon &

6 winter. Regular monitoring of ground water quality & level is being carried-out by utilizing the ground water level meter periodically as specified. The data is being submitted to authorities regularly. (xiii) The project proponent shall obtain necessary permission of the competent Authorities for drawl of requisite quantity of water (surface water and ground water) required for the project. Withdrawal of ground water is carried out after obtaining the renewed NOC from CGWA, Govt. of India for withdrawal of 2955cum/day Vide Letter number:21-4(92)/ser/cgwa/2008/189 dated (xiv) Suitable rainwater harvesting measures on long term basis shall be planned and Implemented in consultation with Regional Director, Central Ground Water Board. In this regard KRG Rain Water Foundation, Chennai got engaged and the report has been prepared in consultation with Regional Director, CGWB & Bhubaneswar. In line to the same, suitable rain water harvesting measures along with roof top rain water harvesting structures for camp area & nearby school areas got implemented. De-siltation of the village ponds surrounded by ML area has under taken towards percolation cum rain water harvesting purposes and it is being de-silted after each monsoon. (xv) Appropriate mitigate measures shall be taken to prevent pollution of the Karo Nadi and Suna Nadi in consultation with State Pollution Control Board. In the entire area, where ever possibility of wash off, flow of sediments etc. is anticipated retaining wall, garland drain and check dam have been provided after recommendation of the KRG Rain Water Foundation, Chennai by provision of Rain Water harvesting cum surface water management plans. The report of the same has been finalized in consultation of the CGWB, Bhubaneswar. The details of the retaining wall followed by garland drains, check dams, sedimentation pit, de-silting cum percolation pond structures got implemented and being de-silted after each monsoon based on the annual average rain fall data. Apart from these we are also having STP & ETP for Domestic water & workshop effluent treatment respectively. (xvi) Pre-placement medical examination and periodical medical examination of the workers engaged in the project shall be carried out and records maintained. For the purpose, schedule of health examination of the workers should be drawn and followed accordingly.

7 IME & PME of the workers engaged in the project is being undertaken periodically for permanent and outside employees along with the pre-medical examination of persons employed, who are engaged in the process of mining & are likely exposed to dust to observe any contractions due to exposure to dust. This is being carried as per in compliance to Mines Act 1952 & rules 1956 and amendments there to. The last examination held for the period October 2013 to March 2014 for 73 employees of the project. The various tests include PFT, X-Ray & lungs spirometery etc. (xvii) Occupational health surveillance programme of the workers shall be undertaken periodically to observe any contraction due to exposure to dust and take corrective measures, if needed. Health records of workers shall be maintained. IME & PME of the workers engaged in the project is being undertaken periodically for permanent and outside employees along with the pre-medical examination of persons employed, who are engaged in the process of mining & are likely exposed to dust to observe any contractions due to exposure to dust. This is being carried as per in compliance to Mines Act 1952 & rules 1956 and amendments there to. The last examination held for the period October 2013 to March 2014 for 73 employees of the project. The various tests include PFT, X-Ray & lungs spirometery etc. On the basis of the above test results, none of the employees were affected by Silicosis/Pneumoconiosis. (xviii) Provision shall be made for the housing of the construction labour within the site with all necessary infrastructure and facilities such as fuel for cooking, mobile toilets, mobile STP, safe drinking water, medical health care, crèche etc. The housing may be in the form of temporary structures to be removed after the completion of the project. Not applicable. As there is no such construction activity within the lease area (xix) The project proponent shall take all precautionary measures during mining operation for conservation and protection of endangered fauna namely elephant, sloth bear etc, spotted in the study area. All the safeguard measures brought out in the approved site specific wild life conservation plan shall be effectively implemented in consultation with State Forest and Wild life department. Necessary allocation of funds for implementation of the conservation plan shall be made and the funds so allocated shall be included in the project cost. A copy of approved conservation plan shall be submitted to the Ministry of Environment and Forest and its Regional office, Bhubaneswar. A Site specific Wildlife Conservation plan got approved vide letter no: 1WL-C-FC-386/08. Dated

8 In this regard an amount of Rs.2,58,00,000 /- is deposited towards Site Specific Wild Life Conservation Plan and an amount of Rs. 1,53,45,680 /- deposited towards Regional Wild Life Conservation Plan. Besides this site specific measures like controlled blasting & awareness programe got provided for conservation and protection of fauna in the area. And photo voltaic fencing of 450 M of stretch work is under progress towards prevention of the entry of the wild animals into the mines working pits. B. General Conditions (i) No further expansion or modified in the beneficiation plant shall be carried out without prior approval of the Ministry of Environment and Forests. We will abide by the said instruction. (ii) At least four Ambient Air Quality Monitoring stations should be established in the core zone as well as in the buffer zone for RSPM (particulate matter with size less than 10 micron i.e. PM10), SO 2 & NO X monitoring. Location of the stations should be decided based on the metrological data, topographical features and environmentally and ecologically Sensitive targets and frequency of monitoring should be undertaken in consultation with the State Pollution Control Board. The monitoring of AAQ is being done in the core as well as buffer zone of the ML area. There are 3 no. of monitoring station in core zone such Mines office Monnet and Mines office chennaguda, Mines office Nuagaon and there are 5 no. of monitoring stations in the buffer zone such as, Malda village, Loidapada Village, Rengalbeda Village. katasahi Village &Panduliposi Village. Monitoring of AAQ is carried out every month except during monsoon. The monitoring report for the period October 2013 to March 2014 reveals that the parameter like PM 10, PM 2.5, SO 2 and NOx as per NAAQs notifications made by the CPCB are well within the norms. (iii) Data on ambient air quality (RSPM (Particulate matter with size less than 10 micron i.e. PM10), SO 2 &NO x ) should be regularly submitted to the Ministry including its Regional office located at Bhubaneswar and the State Pollution Control Board / Central pollution Control Board once in six months. The monitoring data of the ambient air quality is being submitted to Ministry including its Regional office located at Bhubaneswar and the State Pollution Control Board / Central Pollution Control Board once in six months. (iv) Fugitive dust emissions from all the sources should be controlled regularly. Water spraying arrangement on haul roads, loading and unloading and transfer points should be provided and properly maintained.

9 The monitoring of fugitive dust is being carried out in the mining lease area, there are 6 no. of monitoring stations i.e. Mines face, haul road, Crushing/Screening plant, Ore storage & loading area & active dump site. Monitoring of fugitive dust is being carried out except during monsoon. The monitoring report for the period October 2013 to March 2014 reveals that the parameter are well within the norms made by the SPCB. Effective Water Spraying is carried out regularly in all the mine areas with one no. of 28 KL, 25 KL, 20 KL & 2 X 15 KL water tankers as mentioned to control the fugitive dust emissions. Dry-fog systems with hoods got provided at screening & crushing plants. (v) Measures should be taken for control of noise levels below 85 db(a) in the work environment. Workers engaged in operations of HEMM, etc. should be provided with ear plugs / muffs. Workers engaged in Noise prone operations are using approved type of earplugs. Besides this we have provided the acoustic enclosures at all Machine operating cabins. Further, it is being monitored and the results are well within norms. (vi) Industrial waste water (workshop and waste water from the mine) should be properly collected, treated so as to conform to the standards prescribed under GSR 422 (E) dated 19 th May, 1993 and 31 th December, 1993 or as amended from time to time. Oil and grease trap should be installed before discharge of workshop effluents. As it is a zero discharge based beneficiation plant, there is no such generation of industrial waste water, however, as it is a part of the mining activity, there is a base camp located near to the project for which STP has been constructed to cater to need of domestic effluent generated from the Kitchen, toilet etc. ETP is also provided within the mining lease area. Oil and grease trap system along with sediment settling and filtering have been provided in the workshop. The final outlet is having provision for reuse of treated water for workshop, plantation, dust suppression etc. The oil and grease collected from the ETP are collected to the drums and sold to the authorized re-processors. The results of discharge water quality reveals, the said parameters prescribed by the SPCB, very well within the norms for Mines run off, STP &ETP.

10 (vii) Personnel working in dusty areas should wear protective respiratory devices and they should also be provided with adequate training and information on safety and health aspects. Occupational health surveillance program of the workers should be undertaken periodically to observe any contractions due to exposure to dust and take corrective measures, if needed. Workers engaged in Operations are provided with earplugs / muffs, besides this acoustic enclosure for all machine operating cabins are provided. It is being monitored by Noise Level Meter; the results reveal the noise levels are well within the norms. IME & PME of the workers engaged in the project is being undertaken periodically for permanent and outside employees along with the pre-medical examination of persons employed, who are engaged in the process of mining & are likely exposed to dust to observe any contractions due to exposure to dust. This is being carried as per in compliance to Mines Act 1952 & rules 1956 and amends there to. The last such examination held for the period April-2013 to September-2013, for 73 employees of the project. The various tests include PFT, X-Ray, and lungs spirometery etc. (viii) A separate environmental management cell with suitable qualified personnel should be setup under the control of a senior executive, who will report directly to the head of the organization. We have established an Environmental Cell headed by the General Manager to look after the implementation of the various pollution control measures and other Environment Management System requirements for the Iron Ore Beneficiation Plant as well as for Mines Operations. The organizational chart for above environmental call is given below:

11 (ix) The funds earmarked for environmental protection measures should be kept in separate account and should not diverted or other propose year wise expenditure should be reported to the Ministry and Regional Office located at Bhubaneswar. The funds earmarked for Environmental Protection measures are being utilized for the same only. (x) The project authorities should inform to the Regional Office located at Bhubaneswar regarding date of financial closures and final approval of the project by the concerned authorized and the date of start of land development work. Not applicable. (xi) The Regional Office of the Ministry located at Bhubaneswar shall monitor complains of the stipulated conditions. The project authorities should extend full corporation to the officer (S) of the regional office by furnishing the requisite data / information/ monitoring reports. We will extend all our cooperation during any such inspections by the Authority. (xii) The project proponent shall submit six month reports under status of compliance of the stipulated EC conditions including results of monitored data (both in hard copies as well as by ) to the Ministry of Environmental and Forests, its regional Office, Bhubaneswar, the respective zonal office of central pollution control board and state pollution control Board. The proponent shall upload the status of compliance of the EC conditions, including results of monitored data on their websites and shall update the same periodically. It shall

12 simultaneously be sent to the Regional Office of the Ministry of Environmental and Forests, Bhubaneswar, the respective zonal office of central pollution control board and state pollution control Board. (xiii) Six monthly compliance reports on the status of the implementation of the stipulated environmental clearance conditions are being submitted including the results of monitored data in hand copies as well as and the same is being uploaded in the website i.e. A copy of clearance letter shall be sent by the proponent to concerned Panchyat, Zila Parishad /Municipal corporation, urban local body and local NGO, if any, from whom suggestion / representation has been received while processing the proposal. The clearance letter shall also be put on the website of the company by the proponent. It has been complied with intimating the letters to local Gram Panchayat, Municipality, DDM Office, Zila Parisad, Divisional Forest Officer etc. and a copy of environmental clearance letter is also made available in the company s website i.e. (xiv) (xv) State Pollution Control Board should display a copy of the clearance letter at the Regional office, District Industry Centre and Collector s office/ Tehsildar s Office for 30 days. Compiled from SPCB, Bhubaneswar. The environment statement for each financial year ending 31 st March in form-v as is mandated to be submitted by the project proponent to the concerned State Pollution Control Board as prescribed under the Environment (protection) Rules, 1986, as amended subsequently, shall also be put on the website of the company along with the status of compliance of EC conditions and shall also be sent the Regional Office of the Ministry of Environment and forests, at Bhubaneswar by The environment statement for the year got submitted to SPCB, Odisha and copy of the same is also updated in the company s website i.e. Copy of the same is being sent to the Regional Office of the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Bhubaneswar. (xvi) The project authorities should advertise at least in two local newspapers widely circulated, one of which shall be in the vernacular language of the locality concerned, within 7 days of the issue of the clearance latter informing that the project has been accorded environmental clearance and a copy of the clearance letter is available with the State Pollution Control Board and also at web site of the Ministry of Environment and Forests at

13 http: / / envfor.nic.in and a copy of the same should be forwarded to the Regional Office of thisministry located Bhubaneswar. We have advertised in the two newspapers i.e. Sambad- Odia Daily (vernacular language) and The New Indian Express- English daily within stipulated time period. A copy of the same got submitted to the Regional Office of this Ministry located at Bhubaneswar.