Cement, Energy and Environment

system of mandatory environmental impact assessments and public hearings. Projects that require clearances at the state level are referred to as "category 8". There are two sub-categories. Sub-category. 81 refers to projects that require an environmental impact assessment and public consultation for clearance by the state level Environment Impact Assessment Authority or its counterpart in the Union Territories. Projects categorized as 82 would be assessed for clearance on the basis of an application and pre– feasibility report. The new guidelines issued on Tuesday are on the back of the recommendations of an expert committee , setup in January under the chairmanship of the NEERI Director, to suggest measure to speed up clearances at the state level. They imply that developers of brick earth and ordinary earth mining projects, with lease areas between five and 25 hectares, need not hold public hearings or undertake environmental impact assessment for their projects. In June, the environment ministry hal f exempted brick earth and ordinary earth mining in leases of less than five hectares from this mandatory requirement. Minor minerals mining projects, with a lease area of less than 25 hectares, are categorized as "82" and enjoy this exemption from assessment reports and public consultation. In case of sand mining, the ministry has said that the authorities should not consider any lease of less than five hectares for environment clearances. Sand mining projects with a lease of five to 25 hectares should be considered for clearance on the basis of a pre-feasibility report and the prescribed application form. Additionally, the ministry has set out conditions for sand mining projects. Mining must be manually done, maximum permissible depth of mining is three meters below the water level, mining in areas close to embankments, bridges can be undertaken only after a safety zone is worked out, no instream mining will be permitted, and developers must provide replenishment plans. The environmental clearance for river sand mining project would be maximum period of five years. However, in case these mining projects are in a cluster that is the maximum distance between lease boundaries is 1 Km, then these projects will be categorized as 81 or projects that require environmental impact assessment and public hearings as part of the clearance process. Similarly, the environment ministry has re– categorized projects like small thermal power plants, minerals beneficiation plants, cement plants, metallurgical industries, leather and hide processing industries. Courtesy: The Economic Times, New Delhi, 27.12.2013 Pg. No: 3-4 THERMAL POWER COMPANIES FAIL TO MEET MOEF'S 100% FLY ASH USE TARGET Thermal power producers have yet again missed the 100% fly ash utilisation target set by the environment ministry, reporting underutilisation for the third straight year amid policy confusion over dumping of the effluent. Although the proportion of fly ash utilisation in 2012-13 increased by 3% from a year ago, the number of thermal power plants that missed the target went up to 66 from 43, according to a report by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA). The CEA monitors fly ash generation and utilisation on behalf of power ministry against the target set by the ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) as per its 2009 notification. The report pointed out that since domestic coal has ash content as high as 45%, it is necessary for thermal power producers to dispose it off according to guidel ines to prevent harm to the envi ronment. Power plants, however, have been missing the mark, largely because of policy confusion. Even after fly ash is sold to cement makers, used for road embankments and other construction Underachlevel"jlents Fly Ash FVll FY12 FY13 Production 131.09 145.4 2 163. 56 Utilisation 73.13 85.05 100.37 - % Utilisatio n 55.79 58.48 61.37 - -- Mode of Fly Ash Utilisation (,~~ ('lt.Age or Ash Utilisation) ~!' FVll FV12 FY13 Cement 48.50 44.77 41. 18 - Reclamation In 12.73 16.71 11.78 ICMT M~ areas Roads & 11.65 6 .51 6.00 embankments Mine f1111ng 8 .26 9 .10 10.30 Bricks & tiles 6 .30 6 .86 9.94 Agriculture 1 .74 1 .03 2.49 Others 10.82 7 .38 6~39 Concrete NA 0 .74 ~ ..03 Ash dyke NA 6.89 10.88 raising '