Cement Energy and Environment

ENVIRONMENT ISSUES Continuous Emission Monitoring System (CEMS): Based on CMA's continuous persuations, CPCB, through its letter of 2nd March 2015, has notified that the date of installation of On-Line Monitoring System for Emissions from Cement Plants has been extended to 30th June 2015, however, with severe conditions including 100% Bank Guarantee of cost of such monitoring systems and that the failure to compliance may even lead to withdrawal of consent to operate. In response, CMA has written to Chairman, CPCB, requesting for further extension of the time-line for on-line monitoring systems upto 31st December 2015, citing industry's difficulties. MoEF & CC Notification of 25th August, 2015 on Emission Norms for Cement Plants: Following President, CMA's request to Hon'ble Minister for Environment, Forests & Climate Change, and that of CMA requesting Special Secretary, MoEF & CC and Chairman, CPCB, for a meeting with CMA representatives for their personal appraisal of the actual issues confronting the cement Industry arising out of this Notification, MoEF & CC granted a meeting on emission standards for Cement industry with CMA, Mjs Ambuja Cement and CPCB on 26th March, 2015 under the Chairmanship of Special Secretary, MoEF & CC and Chairman, CPCB. However, this meeting was postponed as per a last minute information from MoEF & CC. CMA worked out its consolidated views at an internal meeting, wherein a number of Senior Experts from the Industry and other senior Members of the CMA Technical Committee participated as given below: i. Acceptance to the CPCB Norms originally recommended for SOz and Particulate Matter, ii. For NOx, Norms need to distinguish between the New and the Existing Plants, and limits to be relaxed for the existing plants, besides giving adequate time for compliance. Subsequently, the CMA team used the opportunity to call on Joint Secretary, MoEF & CC, Shri M KSingh, and Advisor, MoEF & CC, Dr Rashid Hasan on 26th March, 2015 to apprise them of the actual constraints caused by the rigid norms notified, and requested them to address the issue. A brief note on the impact of NOx, SOz, and Particulate Matter was also submitted to the authorities for necessary consideration. MINES AND MINING ISSUES Amendments to the MMDR Act took the centre stage during the period due to enormous implications of some of the provisions of the Act for the industry. President, CMA had been advising from time to time on the various issues of the Act to be highlighted for redressal. CMA apart from submitting its comments to the Ministry of Mines on specific provisions of the Act, also followed up with the PMO on the provisions of the Bill which would adversely impact the Cement Industry. The Mines Sub-Group that was informally constituted by the CMA Technical Committee, also held a series of discussions and consultations and made a presentation at the Stakeholders' meeting convened by the Ministry of Mines on 2nd March,