SHILLONG, March 18: The first scientific coal mining block at Saryngkham-A village in East Jaintia Hills district, has been inaugurated and is estimated to cost Rs 27 crore. The project proponent will set aside Rs 1.50 crore to mitigate environmental impacts due to the project’s Corporate Environment Responsibility (CER) Programme.
An executive summary of the project reveals that the project is designed for extraction of 0.45 MT of total coal reserves over 12 years, with a peak capacity of 0.10 MTPA. Coal grade will vary widely from G1-G16.
Coal extraction will be done using shovel-dumper combination in an opencast mechanized method, requiring explosives, machinery, diesel, lubricants, electricity, water, and facilities for personnel connected to mining operations. Opencast mining involves procedures such as stacking top soil separately on the top soil dump and progressively using it for biological reclamation throughout the mine life. Overburden will be fragmented by drilling and blasting, and the fragmented rocks will be loaded into dumpers by shovel for transport to external/internal dumps.
Transportation of overburden waste material will be carried out by dumpers and dumped into external/internal dumps. Mine voids will be dewatered at regular intervals, and mine water will be reused for domestic purposes and other utilities. All mining operations will be carried out according to the statutory provisions of the Mines Act and Coal Mines Regulations for the safety, health, and welfare of employees working in the mine.
Air pollution is likely to occur during mining operations, with suspended Particulate Matter (PM10 and PM2.5) being the main pollutant. Measures to mitigate fugitive dust emissions include wet-drilling to avoid dust generation from drilling operations and making coal seams wet before cutting to avoid dust generation. Transportation trucks will be covered with tarpaulin sheets to prevent material spillage during movement.
Water pollution is primarily caused by mine discharge and surface run-off containing suspended solids. Control measures will be adopted, including constructing garland drains, constructing a rainwater harvesting tank, controlling soil erosion and siltation into natural water bodies, and taking special precautions when deploying workers in the mine. The project will lead to indirect employment opportunities for local people, improve communication, education, community development, and medical facilities. It will also contribute to socio-economic development of the area and the state, as well as the development of infrastructure facilities in and around the project.
