Lok Sabha Question No. 4475 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-03-20
Subject: Pollution from Mining Activities
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Manish Tewari

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.4475

TO BE ANSWERED ON 20.03.2020

## Pollution from Mining Activities

## 4475. SHRI MANISH TEWARI:

Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state:

- (a) the existing environmental laws and policies that mining companies have to adhere to;
- (b) whether  the  Government  has  taken  note  of  the  serious  environmental  and  social concerns, including, air, noise, water pollution and land degradation caused by coal mining activities;
- (c) whether the Government is aware that 83 per cent of all coal mining is undertaken by Coal  India  Limited  and  its  subsidiaries  which  are  openly  flouting  environmental norms and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) the steps taken by the Government to ensure that all mines/washeries have air quality monitoring  stations  equipped  with  connectivity  to  the  server  of  State  Pollution Control Boards to facilitate online monitoring of ambient air quality; and
- (e) the  other  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  ensure  installation  of  water  treatment plants for eliminating pollutions from mines, discharge from the workshops, installation of Sewage Treatment Plant for treatment of effluents from the residential colonies of the mines?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI BABUL SUPRIYO )

(a) The  environmental  aspects  of   mining  operations  are  largely  governed  by      the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification, 2006 and other guidelines issued from time to time by the Ministry. Further, other legislations such as Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act,1981, Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution)  Act,1974,  Noise  Pollution  (Regulation  &  Control)  Rules,  2000,  Hazardous  and Other Wastes (Management & Trans boundary Movement) Rules, 2016 are also applicable to mining operations.

If  the  project/mining  lease  area  involves  forest  land,  Forest  Clearance  under  Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 is also required. Further, if mining lease area falls in the proximity of any protected area notified under Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, Wildlife Clearance from the Standing Committee of National Board of Wildlife is required as per extant provisions.

Environment  Clearance  is  being  granted  by  the  Ministry  after  the  appraisal  and recommendation  of  a  technical  committee  (Expert  Appraisal  Committee-  EAC)  as  per Schedule-I mandated in the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification, 2006.

(b) & (C) Coal Mines are generally large projects which may have significant impact on flora,  fauna,  habitation,  air  quality,  water  quality  etc.  in  the  surrounding  areas.  It  may  also involve Rehabilitation and Resettlement (R&R) activities. In order to mitigate the impact of such large projects on environment, Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) study is carried out  and  Environment  Management Plans (EMP) is prepared including pollution mitigation plan.  A  thorough  deliberation  and  assessment  of  these  plans  and  mitigation  measures  are carried out by Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC). The recommendation of EAC, including mitigations  measures,  is  then  considered  by  the  Ministry  before  granting  Environment Clearance  to  such  projects.   R&R  is  being  done  as  per  recommendation  of  the  State Governments.  The  Concerned  State  Pollution  Control  Board  (SPCB)  grant  Consent  to Operate/Establish under Air (Prevention and Control of Air Pollution) Act, 1981 and Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974.

A  large  number  of  Coal  Mining  projects  are  being  managed  by  Coal  India  Limited (CIL) and its subsidiaries.  A set of terms and conditions and mitigation measures have been included while granting Environment Clearance to these projects.  The compliance of such conditions is being monitored by Regional Offices of the Ministry.  In case of violation of EC conditions  or  non-compliance  of  conditions,  corrective  measures  being  taken  against  the project proponents.

(d)  &  (e) In  order  to  prevent  pollution  due  to  mining  operations,  Pollution  Prevention Technologies/Measures are adopted. Following measures/initiatives are employed on case by case basis for containing pollution caused by coal mines:

-  Use of Surface Miners thereby avoiding blasting and  detonators to minimize dust generation
-  Wet Drilling to minimise fugitive dust emission
-  Side discharge loaders (SDL) and Load haul dumpers (LHD) and closed conveyors to minimise fugitive dust generation.
-  Radar based monitoring of slope stability of benches in open cast mines, etc. preventing any sliding or fall of Overburden dumps
-  Use of automatic mobile and fixed Water Sprinklers on haul roads to prevent fugitive dust emission
-  Water Pollution Control through use of STP, ETP, Oil & Grease Separators, etc.
-  Promote reuse/recycle of water to achieve zero discharge
-  Construction of garland drain around the OB dumps terminating at sedimentation ponds to arrest flow of silts to the rivers/ nalas.
-  Reclamation of Abandoned Mines by developing Green Belt

Regional  offices  of  the  Ministry  monitor  the  compliance  conditions  imposed  in  the Environment Clearance  periodically.  SPCBs  monitor  compliance  of  conditions  imposed  in the Consent to Operate/Establish with respect to monitoring of control of pollution including installation  of  Continuous  Ambient  Air  Quality  Monitoring  Stations  (CAAQMS),  Effluent Treatment  Plant (ETP)  for  mine  water, effluent and  air pollution control  measures. Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations (CAAQMS) have been installed in 18 large mines.

For treatment of discharged water  from mines  Mine Discharge ETP are installed.  The mine water is treated and used for dust separation purposes, firefighting, plantation, washing, drinking  /  domestic  purposes  for  company  township.   CIL  has  installed  100  such  ETPs. Workshop ETPs, designed with zero discharge concept have been installed in all major OCPs having big workshops for proper maintenance of Heavy Earth Moving Machinery (HEMM). Domestic Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) are also provided in 39 major residential colonies. Soak pit is provided for other residential colonies by CIL.

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