BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE PROJECT This proposal of Nuagaon Iron ore mines of M/s K.J.S.Ahluwalia is for expansion of Iron ore production capacity from 5.62 MTPA to 7.99MTPA of ROM along with existing beneficiation plant of 2.0MTPA capacity and crushing & screening plant in the total lease area of 767.284 Ha comprising 639.823Ha of forest land and 127.461Ha of non-forest land for obtaining TOR from MoEF & CC towards getting environmental clearance. Nuagaon Iron ore mines of M/s K.J.S.Ahluwalia is located in the villages Nuagaon, Guali, Topadihi, Barpada & katasahi of Keonjhar district in Odisha. Presently mining of 5.62 million tons per annum iron ore along with crushing & screening plant & 2 MTPA beneficiation plant is operated in this lease area after obtaining the following statutory clearances: Lease validity Up to 31 st March 2020.The supplementary leased deed executed on 8 th May, 2015. In pursuance of the Supreme Court order dated 02.08.2017 in CWP no. 114/2014, the DDM, Joda has raised the demand notices no. 6112 Dated 13.12.2017 towards environmental clearance matter, the project proponent has deposited Rs 1072,60,31,101/- as directed Besides, in pursuance of the Supreme Court order dated 02.08.2017 in CWP no. 114/2014, the DDM, Joda has raised the demand notices no. 5136 Dated 23.10.2017 towards forest matter, the project proponent has deposited Rs 2,33,57,557/- as directed. Modified Mining plan approval for expansion of Iron Ore Production from 5.62 MTPA to 7.99MTPA obtained from IBM vide letter No-MSM/FM/48-ORI/BHU/2017-18/322 dated 23.04.2018. Earlier forest land in lease area was 525.762 Ha. Permission for diversion of 371.192 ha of forest area within the mining lease area was granted vide letter no F.No.8-17/2001-FC dated 21st April 2004, out of the applied area of 476.205 Ha. Part of the non-forest land was included in the forest land based on the guideline of MoEF. Hence, present status of forest land is 639.823Ha and Non-forest land is 127.461Ha. Environmental clearance for the mining lease area over 767.284 Ha for a production of 5.62 million tons per annum has been obtained by the Lessee on 02.02.2010 vide MOEF letter No. J-11015/1156/2007-IA.II (M). i
Environmental Clearance for establishment of an Iron ore beneficiation plant of 2 MTPA through put capacity within the lease hold area from Ministry of Environment & Forests vide their letter no. J-11015/317/2009-IA.II (M) dt.16.02.2012 is also obtained. The lessee has obtained surface right over an area of 416.604Ha out of 767.284Ha. Consent obtained from Pollution Control Board, Odisha and is valid up to 31.03.2020. The enhanced resource base has opened the avenues for capacity expansion of this mine from 5.62 MTPA to 7.99MTPA (ROM) for iron ore. This expansion project falls under Category A as per MoEF notification in this respect, because of mining lease being more than 50 Ha. The lease area is bounded by Latitude 21 57'11.09"N to 21 59'34.31"N and Longitude 85 16' 6.04" to 85 19' 24.93"East and falls in Survey in India Topo Sheet No. 73G/5. The mining lease area is approachable from NH 215 road which divides the lease area in to 2 parts. It can be approached from Barbil which is situated at a distance of 23km (by road) in the Northeast or from Koira which is at a distance of 11 km (by road) in the Southwest. The nearest Rail Head is at Barbil (both Passenger and goods train). The area is characterized by hilly as well as flat ground having elevation from 520m to 702m above M.S.L. Exploration has already been carried out by drilling in the form of 215 nos of bore hole from 1999 onwards. A total of 12878.60Meterage of drilling has been undertaken to assess the resource/reserve. The bore holes of 2012-13 to 2017-18 have been taken into consideration for the resource estimation. Total mineable reserve of iron ore under all the categories (proved and Probable) within the area has been worked and it is estimated that 346.998 Million Tonne having+45 % Fe grade available as on 01.01.2018 as per present exploration data. Total waste generation will be 22.753 Million M3. Presently Open cast fully mechanized mining method with drilling, blasting with shovel dumper combination is adopted and the same will be continued after expansion also. Presently there are 4 waste dumps and 29 subgrade dumps within the lease area. Both lateral and depth ward development in the pit and dump rehandling has been proposed to be undertaken to achieve the targeted production. The working pits in all these quarries have been proposed to be developed with a bench height of 10m in Barpada block and in other block the height of the benches will be kept at 6m. ii
Mining equipment like DTH drill of 105mm dia, compressor of 450cfm, dumper (10-35t), hydraulic excavators of 0.9-4.3 cum capacity etc. will be used during ensuing plan period to achieve the targeted production. Out of 22.753 Mm3 of waste to be generated totally, 0.098 Mm3 is to be utilized as minor mineral, 4.712Mm3 for the internal haul road maintenance, 1.716 Mm3 is to be dumped at the at the earmarked dump sites and 16.227M.cum will be utilized for backfilling & reclamation of mined out land. Waste to be generate from the beneficiation plant is proposed to be dumped at waste dump in the plan period and in the conceptual period will be used for backfilling. At the end of life of mine, 654.936Ha of lease area will be developed with plantation and the remaining area of 112.348 Ha will be left for public use. Part of the generated sub grade ore / mineral rejects will be blended directly, part will be up graded in the existing 2.0 MTPA beneficiation plant and sold to the consumers. Mineral rejects has been proposed to be stacked temporarily for future use. The mining lease area and the 10 km buffer zone from the periphery of the core zone is devoid of declared ecologically sensitive features like national parks, biospheres, sanctuaries, etc., The area also does not come under CRZ category. In the 10 km buffer zone, water bodies namely Karo Nadi adjacent NW, Kalmang Nala- 0.3Km (SE), Suna Nadi - 0.5Km(SE), Teherei Nala-4.5Km(S), Suna Nala-0.5Km(SE), Samij Nala-5.7Km (W), Korai Nala-5.2Km(SW), Kakarpani Nala 2.9Km(SE), Kunduru Nala 3.7km (NE) are located from the lease area. Topadihi Nala passes adjacent to the North Eastern boundary of the lease area. Forests like Mendhamaruni R.F- 1.8Km(SSW), Sidhhamath R.F-1.3Km(E), Lakhraghat R.F-0.6Km(N), Uliburu R.F-1.5Km(N), Karo R.F 0.6Km(W), Kathamala R.F-5.3Km(SW), Bhabani pararh R.F- 8.3Km(SE), Baitarani R.F-4.7Km(E) and Karampada R.F-4.3Km(NW) are located in the buffer zone. Karo Karampada Elephant corridor is located at a distance of 12.5km from lease area in NW direction. The life of the iron ore mine is estimated to be 44 years. However, the life of the mines may on assessment of reserves by further exploration, pit data and market demands on regular basis the life of the deposit may change. The water requirement for the mines is mainly for green belt, dust suppression, domestic purpose & in beneficiation plant for make-up purpose. The total water requirement will be iii
1225KLD.The water requirement is met from bore well. Ground water permission has already been obtained from CGWB. Various site services such as site office, weigh bridge, rest shed, first aid center, blasting shed, security house, magazine, guard house, workshop etc are available in the lease area. The total man power is 709 persons comprising 116 persons on direct basis and 593 on contract basis. Totally 69.562 Ha area is already covered under plantation in safety zone, dump area etc within the lease area. Further, during ensuing plan period about 7.90Ha will be covered with plantation. At the end of the life of the mine, 654.936Ha covering backfilled mined out area, safety zone, bench plantation etc will be covered under plantation. Mining operations are in the lease for many decades. Habitations including Nuagaon village is located in this lease area for a long time. However, the mining & allied activities at present and also in the conceptual period will be confined to this granted surface rights area. Beyond that surface right area there is no such requirement of land acquisition even in private plots like homesteads, agriculture, etc. However, if any such requirement arises in future then and there, the acquisition will be as per the LA and R&R 2013. The existing mining operations in the area have already brought about positive impact locally by way of employment generation, increase in income generation, creation of infrastructural facility, marked improvement in the life style and living standards of the entire tribal and scheduled caste population of the surrounding area. There will be continued substantial improvement in case of local population in living standards, receipt of per capita income, cultural patterns, living styles, educational standards, etc. after expansion also. The project proponent has already carried out extensive beneficiary works, under their CSR responsibility objectives. These schemes will be further augmented and implemented after expansion. Future CSR programme will be implemented as per Companies (Corporate Social Responsibility Policy) Rules, 2014 framed under the Companies Act, 2014. Besides, proponent will contribute substantially to the overall economy and social development of the area through Corporate Environmental Activities (CER) activities. From the above it is evident that the expansion project will continue to improve the social and physical infrastructural patterns of this interior area in its own way resulting in overall iv
improvement of HDI (Human Development Index). Besides, the Central and State Government will also derive good financial benefits by way of receipt of DMF, GST, duties and cess. In view of above aspects of the project, this expansion project can be said to be beneficial to the local community, the local region, the State and to the entire country on the whole. ******* v