F. No. J-11011/566/2008- IA II (I)

Government of India

Ministry of Environment and Forests

(I.A. Division)

Paryavaran Bhawan

CGO Complex, Lodhi Road

New Delhi ? 110 003

E-mail: ms.industry-mef@nic.in

Tele/fax: 011 ? 2436 3973

Dated: August 27th, 2010

To,

The Director

M/s. AIC Iron Industries Pvt. Ltd.

25, Ganesh Chandra Avenue,

4th Floor, Kolkata- 700 013,

West Bengal

 

E-mail: aicmetaliks@aic.in

 

Sub:  Proposed Sponge Iron and Steel Plant along with WHRB and FBC Captive Power Plants (12 MW) (Sponge Iron 1, 20, 000 TPA, Liquid Steel: 1, 25, 000 TPA, through induction furnace and 1, 25, 000 TPA through Ladle furnace, Billets 1, 20, 000 TPA) at Village Benipur, District Purulia in West Bengal by M/s. AIC Iron Industries Pvt. Limited regarding Environmental Clearance

 

Sir,

This has reference to your letter no. 2008056/AIC-Purulia/534 dated 15th March, 2010 along with copies of final EIA /EMP and public hearing reports seeking environment clearance under the provisions of EIA Notification, 2006.

 

2.         The Ministry of Environment and Forests has examined the proposal. It is noted that M/s AIC Iron Industries Pvt. Limited have proposed for  for the Steel Plant (sponge iron 1, 20, 000 TPA, liquid steel: 1, 25, 000 TPA, through induction furnace and 1, 25, 000 TPA through Ladle furnace, Billets 1, 20, 000 TPA)  and Captive Power Plant (12 MW) at Village Benipur, District Purulia, West Bengal. Total land acquired for the proposed project is 35 acres which is a barren land with or without scrubs. No National Park, Wildlife sanctuary, Eco sensitive area is located within 10 km distance. Panchet RF, Bheti RF and Muktipur RF are located within 10 km radius. Total cost of the project is Rs. 110.00 Crores. Rs. 9.0 Crores and Rs. 0.2 Crores will be earmarked towards total capital cost and recurring cost/annum for environmental pollution control measures.

 

3.         Following facilities will be installed.

 

 Units

Capacity

DRI Plant

4x100 TPD, 1,20,000 TPA

Induction Furnace

2x15 T, 1,25,000 TPA

 

Ladle Furnace

2x15 T, 1,25,000 TPA

Continuous billet caster

1X2 strand, 1,20,000 TPA

Captive Power Plant

         WHRB (2x4 MW)

         AFBC  (1x4 MW)

 

8 MW

4 MW

 

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4.         To control the particulate emissions within 100 mg/Nm3 , ESP will be installed to captive power plant. The waste gases from DRI kiln will be used in WHRB based CPP (2x4 MW).  The gases from DRI kiln will be passed through dust settling chamber (DSC) and after burning chamber (ABC) before being used in WHRB.  The fugitive dust emissions due to iron ore fines, coal fines and dolomite fines from the stock piles of raw material will be controlled by dust suppression system through water sprinkling. Primary emissions from the Induction furnace and Ladle furnace will be collected by fume extraction system and taken through ductwork to a bag filter. Suitable canopy will be provided to induction furnace to minimize the fugitive emissions. Dust extraction systems comprising of bag filters will be installed at material transfer points. 

 

5.         The make up water requirement of 4735m3/day will be met from the River Damodar flowing at a distance of 3.5 km from the project site. The company has approached the State Government to seek permission for drawl of water. Effluent treatment plant will be installed to remove suspended solids, for neutralization of acidic water from DM plant and removal of oil and grease etc. There will be zero discharge of effluent by recirculation of treated water, for dust separation and green belt development. It is proposed to harvest rain water to minimize  water consumption and recharge the ground water.      

 

 6.        About 30, 000 TPA of char will be generated from the sponge iron kiln which after mixing will coal fines will be used as fuel in the FBC boiler for power generation. Slag (20, 000 TPA) will be used for road making within the plant premises. The kiln accretions will be used for road construction or landfill. The sludge from the gas cleaning plant will be disposed off. The flue dust generated from the ESP and other pollution control system will be utilized for brick manufacturing. The secondary flue dust from the bag filters and raw material handling / coal crushers etc. will be recycled. The fly ash (9760 TPA) will be provided to the cement manufacturing units. The company is also exploring the feasibility of setting up of fly ash brick manufacturing unit. The bottom ash (2440 TPA) will be disposed of in the landfill within the plant premises. The design of the landfill will be as per the CPCB guidelines. Greenbelt will be developed in 33% of plant area.

 

7.         All the Integrated Steel plants are listed S.N. 3(a) under category ?A? of the Schedule of EIA Notification 2006 and appraised at the Central level. The proposal was considered by the Expert Appraisal Committee-1 (industry) in its meeting held during 26-28th July, 2010. The Committee recommended the proposal for environmental clearance subject to stipulation of specific conditions along with other environmental conditions. Public hearing/Public consultation meeting was conducted by the West Bengal Pollution Control Board on 16th July, 2009.

 

 

8.         Based on the information submitted by you, presentation made by you and consultant, M/s Envirotech East Pvt. Ltd., Kolkata, the Ministry of Environment and Forests hereby accords environmental clearance to the above project under the provisions of EIA Notification dated 14th September 2006 subject to strict compliance of the following Specific and General conditions:

 

A.           SPECIFIC CONDITIONS :

 

      i.        On-line ambient air quality monitoring and continuous stack monitoring facilities for all the stacks shall be provided and sufficient air pollution control devices viz. Electrostatic precipitator (ESP), cyclones,  bag filters etc. shall be provided to limit the emission levels below 50 mg/Nm3 by installing energy efficient technology.

 

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  1. The National Ambient Air Quality Standards issued by the Ministry vide G.S.R. No. 826(E) dated 16th November, 2009 should be followed.

 

    iii.        Gaseous emission levels including secondary fugitive emissions from all the sources shall be controlled within the latest permissible limits issued by the Ministry vide G.S.R. 414(E) dated 30th May, 2008 and regularly monitored. Guidelines / Code of Practice issued by the CPCB should be followed.

 

   iv.        Hot gases from DRI kiln shall be passed through Dust Settling Chamber (DSC) to remove coarse solids and After Burning Chamber (ABC) to burn CO completely and used in waste heat recovery boiler (WHRB).  The gas then shall be cleaned in ESP before leaving out into the atmosphere through ID fan and stack.

 

  1. Efforts shall be made to make use of rain water harvested. If needed, capacity of the reservoir should be enhanced to meet the maximum water requirement. Only balance water requirement shall be met from other sources.

 

   vi.        The water consumption shall not exceed as per the standard prescribed for the steel plants. Permission from the State Irrigation Department / Central Ground Water Board for drawl of water shall be obtained as may be applicable in this case.

 

  vii.        Regular monitoring of influent and effluent surface, sub-surface and ground water shall be ensured and treated wastewater should meet the norms prescribed by the State Pollution Control Board or described under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 whichever are more stringent. Leachate study for the effluent generated and analysis shall also be regularly carried out and report submitted to the Ministry?s Regional Office at Bhubaneswar SPCB & CPCB.

 

 viii.        All the char from DRI plant shall be utilized in AFBC boiler of power plant and no char shall be disposed off anywhere else. AFBC boiler shall be installed simultaneously along with the DRI plant to ensure full utilization of char from the beginning. The slag storage yard shall be properly lined to prevent leaching into the ground water. 

 

  1. Proper utilization of fly ash shall be ensured as per Fly Ash Notification, 1999 and subsequent amendment in 2003 and 2010. All the fly ash should be provided to cement and brick manufacturers for further utilization and ?Memorandum of Understanding? should be submitted to the Ministry?s Regional Office at Bhopal

 

    x.        As proposed, green belt shall be developed in 33 % of the plant area. Selection of plant species shall be as per the CPCB guidelines in consultation with the DFO.

 

   xi.        All the recommendations made in the Charter on Corporate Responsibility for Environment Protection (CREP) for the Steel Plants should be implemented.

 

  xii.        All the commitments made to the public during the Public Hearing / Public Consultation meeting held on16th July, 2009 shall be satisfactorily implemented and a separate budget for implementing the same shall be allocated and information submitted to the Ministry?s Regional Office at Bhubaneswar.

 

  1. Risk and Disaster Management Plan along with the mitigation measures shall be prepared and a copy submitted to the Ministry?s Regional Office at Bhopal, CECB and CPCB within 3 months of issue of environment clearance letter.

 

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 xiv.        At least 5 % of the total cost of the project shall be earmarked towards the corporate social responsibility and item-wise details along with time bound action plan should be prepared and submitted to the Ministry?s Regional Office at Bhubaneswar. Implementation of such program should be ensured accordingly in a time bound manner.

 

  xv.        The company shall provide housing for 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.

 

 

  1. GENERAL CONDITIONS:

 

i.              The project authorities must strictly adhere to the stipulations made by the West Bengal State Pollution Control Board  and the State Government.

 

ii.             No further expansion or modifications in the plant shall be carried out without prior approval of the Ministry of Environment and Forests.

 

iii.            The gaseous emissions from various process units shall conform to the load/mass based standards notified by this Ministry on 19th May, 1993 and standards prescribed from time to time. The State Board may specify more stringent standards for the relevant parameters keeping in view the nature of the industry and its size and location. 

 

iv.           At least four ambient air quality monitoring stations should be established in the downward direction as well as where maximum ground level concentration of PM10, SO2 and NOX are anticipated in consultation with the SPCB. Data on ambient air quality and stack emission shall be regularly submitted to this Ministry including its Regional Office at Bhubaneswar and the SPCB/CPCB once in six months.

 

v.            Industrial wastewater shall be properly collected, treated so as to conform to the standards prescribed under GSR 422 (E) dated 19th May, 1993 and 31st December, 1993 or as amended form time to time. The treated wastewater shall be utilized for plantation purpose.

 

vi.           The overall noise levels in and around the plant area shall be kept well within the standards (85 dBA) by providing noise control measures including acoustic hoods, silencers, enclosures etc. on all sources of noise generation.  The ambient noise levels should conform to the standards prescribed under EPA Rules, 1989 viz. 75 dBA (daytime) and 70 dBA (nighttime).

 

vii.          Occupational health surveillance of the workers shall be done on a regular basis and records maintained as per the Factories Act.

 

viii.         The company shall develop surface water harvesting structures to harvest the rain water for utilization in the lean season besides recharging the ground water table.

 

ix.           The project proponent shall also comply with all the environmental protection measures and safeguards recommended in the EIA/EMP report. Further, the

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 company must undertake socio-economic development activities in the surrounding villages like community development programmes, educational programmes, drinking water supply and health care etc.

 

x.            Requisite amount shall be earmarked towards capital cost and recurring cost/annum for environment pollution control measures to implement the conditions stipulated by the Ministry of Environment and Forests as well as the State Government. An implementation schedule for implementing all the conditions stipulated herein shall be submitted to the Regional Office of the Ministry at Bhubaneswar. The funds so provided shall not be diverted for any other purpose.

 

xi.           A copy of clearance letter shall be sent by the proponent to concerned Panchayat, Zila Parishad/Municipal Corporation, Urban Local Body and the local NGO, if any, from whom suggestions/representations, if any, were received while processing the proposal. The clearance letter shall also be put on the web site of the company by the proponent.

 

xii.          The project proponent shall upload the status of compliance of the stipulated environment clearance conditions, including results of monitored data on their website and shall update the same periodically.  It shall simultaneously be sent to the Regional Office of the MOEF at Bhubaneswar. The respective Zonal Office of CPCB and the SPCB.  The criteria pollutant levels namely; PM10, SO2, NOx (ambient levels as well as stack emissions) or critical sectoral parameters, indicated for the projects shall be monitored and displayed at a convenient location near the main gate of the company in the public domain. 

 

xiii.         The project proponent shall also submit six monthly reports on the status of the compliance of the stipulated environmental conditions including results of monitored data (both in hard copies as well as by e-mail) to the Regional Office of MOEF, the respective Zonal Office of CPCB and the SPCB. The Regional Office of this Ministry at Bhubaneswar/ CPCB / SPCB shall monitor the stipulated conditions.

 

xiv.         The environmental statement for each financial year ending 31st 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 alongwith the status of compliance of environmental conditions and shall also be sent to the respective Regional Office of the MOEF at Bhubaneswar by e-mail.

 

xv.          The Project Proponent shall inform the public that the project has been accorded environmental clearance by the Ministry and copies of the clearance letter are available with the SPCB and may also be seen at Website of the Ministry of Environment and Forests at http:/envfor.nic.in. This shall be advertised within seven days from the date of issue of the clearance letter, at least in two local newspapers that are widely circulated in the region of which one shall be in the vernacular language of the locality concerned and a copy of the same should be forwarded to the Regional office at Bhubaneswar.

 

xvi.         Project authorities shall inform the Regional Office as well as the Ministry, the date of financial closure and final approval of the project by the concerned authorities and the date of commencing the land development work.

 

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8.         The Ministry may revoke or suspend the clearance, if implementation of any of the above conditions is not satisfactory.

9.         The Ministry reserves the right to stipulate additional conditions if found necessary. The Company in a time bound manner shall implement these conditions.

 

10.       Any appeal against this environmental clearance shall lie with the National Environment Appellate Authority, if preferred within a period of 30 days as prescribed under Section 11 of the National Environment Appellate Act, 1997.

11.       The above conditions shall be enforced, inter-alia under the provisions of the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, the Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, Hazardous Wastes (Management, Handling and Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2008 and the Public (Insurance) Liability Act, 1991 along with their amendments and rules.

 

 

 (Dr. P.L.Ahujarai)

                                                                                                                   Scientist -F

 

 

 

Copy to:

 

1.    The Secretary, Department of Environment, Govt. of West Bengal, Kolkata, West Bengal.

2.    The Chairman, Central Pollution Control Board, Parivesh Bhavan, CBD-cum-Office Complex, East Arjun Nagar, Delhi-110032.

3.    The Chairman, West Bengal Pollution Control Board, Parivesh Bhawan, 10A Block-LA, Sector-III, Salt Lake, Kolkata - 700091, West Bengal.

4.    The Chief Conservator of Forests, Regional Office (EZ), Ministry of  Environment and Forests  A-3, Chandrashekharpur, Bhubaneswar - 751 023, Orissa

5.    Adviser (IA-II), Ministry of Environment and Forests, Paryavaran Bhavan, CGO Complex, New Delhi.

6.    Monitoring Cell, Ministry of Environment and Forests, Paryavaran Bhavan, CGO Complex, New Delhi.

7.    Guard File.

8.    Monitoring File.

9.    Record File.

 

                                                                                                               (Dr. P. L. Ahujarai)

Scientist-F