Northern Coalfields Limited (NCL) is committed to the Environmental Conservation and Pollution Control. Environmental Management System (EMS) has been implemented in all eight operating opencast mines of NCL. The company has framed its own Environmental Policy and developed Effective Management Programme to minimize the impact on environment due to mining operations. Programme has also been adopted to train all employees with respect to Environmental Awareness and Mitigation Measures.

ISO:14001:2004 Certification

ISO CERTIFICATION

(1) ISO: i4001-1996 certificate was awarded to NCL for its eight working projects namely Kakri, Bina, Dudhichua, Jayant, Khadia, Nigahi, Amlohri & Jhingurda; by M/S DNV (Det Norske Veritas) in the year 2001 for adoption of EMS (Environment System). Now NCL’s EMS has been updated to ISO:14001-2004 in June 2006.

ENVIRONMENT POLICY OF NCL

In line with corporate Environmental Policy of sustainable development, NCL is committed to strive for environmental protection in all its mining projects through:

. Minimizing impacts of mining operation on land, water and air

. Compliance with applicable environmental laws and regulations

. Optimum resource utilization viz. energy and water

. Continual improvement in environmental quality and prevention of

pollution

. Training of employees and creating general awareness regarding environment and prevention of pollution

. Wide circulation of the policy.

(2) ISO: 9001-2000 certificates have been awarded to two service units of NCL viz. Central Work Shop (CWS) and Nehru Shatabdi Chikitsalaya (NSC) by M/S BVQI (Bureau Veritas Quality International) for adoption of QMS (Quality Management System). Preparatory work, entrusted to CMPDI, Ranchi; is in progress for ISO: 9001 certification for other service units and eight working projects of NCL.

(3) OHSAS:18001 ( Occupational Health & Safety Assessment Series)

Certification for NCL is in progress. It is under tendering stage.

AWARDS RECEIVED BY NCL ON

ENVIRONOMENTAL EXCELLENCE

(I) Bhartiya Shiromani Puraskar for 2005

Gold Medal, by Institute of Economic Studies, New Delhi, has been awarded to Sri V K Singh, Chairman-cum-Managing Director, NCL.

(II) Rajiv Ratna National Award for 2005

Best Chief Executive Gold Award for excellence in Indian Industries has been awarded to Sri V K Singh, Chairman-cum-Managing director, NCL.

(III) 5^th TERI Corporate Award for 2004-05

Environmental Excellence award has been bagged by NCL. Sri V K Singh, Chairman-cum-Managing Director, NCL, received the award from Sri Abdul Kalam, Hon’ble President of India, on 26^th June 2006, in a ceremony held at New Delhi.

Environment Control Measures

NCL is very much alive to the Environment conservation & pollution control.

All necessary steps have been taken to maintain healthy and hygienic condition by keeping air, water, dust and noise pollution under control.

^{Environment Conservation}

Plantation up to 31/03/2007 19.32 million.

Area of non-forest land identified for compensatory afforestation 4320 Ha.against available forest land for coal mining.

Amount deposited by NCL to State Forest Departments (MP&UP) Rs.26.01 Crores for compensatory afforestation.

Amount deposited by NCL to State Department (MP&UP) Rs.61.81 Crores for NPV.

^{Pollution Control}

Liaisoning with SPCB for meeting the stipulation and obtaining clearance for operations accordingly.

A.	Air Pollution

Air pollution control measures adopted by NCL are :

v Drills are provided with dust extractors to control dust at source.

v Approach roads to mines and service roads are provided with black topping to reduce dust generation.

v Water sprinklers of fixed type and mobile type are deployed for dust suppression on haul roads.

v Automatic sprinklers, actuated through sensors, are installed at receiving pits.

v Fixed sprinklers are provided and operated through valve control system at coal bunkers, transfer points and loading points.

v Dust cyclones are provided at bottom of receiving pits of crusher house.

v Coal Handling Plants (CHP) have been fully enclosed to reduce coal dust emission out side it.

v Coal is loaded to Merry Go Round (MGR) System through Rapid Loading System in moist form.

v To despatch by truck, coal is wetted after loading and then covered with tarpaulin.

v Routine maintenance and periodic over-hauling of Heavy Earth Moving Machineries (HEMM) are carried out to reduce gaseous emission.

v Thick green belt curtain, in the form of tall plants with broader leaves, have been provided at mine boundaries to arrest air borne dusts.

v Under Over Burden (OB) dump reclamation plan, non-active OB dumps are provided with vegetative covers to prevent dust emission.

v Provision made for dust proof cabins in HEMM and dust masks to employees exposed to dust.

       v Fire hydrant system installed at CHPs, Coal Dumps, etc. 

B.	Water Pollution

Water pollution control measures adopted by NCL :

i) Sewage Treatment Plant (STP):

Domestic STPs have been constructed in the township with activated sludge process. Plant contains aeration units for oxidation, clarifiers for removal of suspended solids, sludge drying beds, grit removal facilities, sewer lines, manholes, pump houses, control room, etc. Treated water is taken for reuse in tree plantation, horticulture, construction activities. Dried sludge is a valuable manure for tree plantation and horticulture works. 

ii) Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP):

Integrated Industrial ETPs are designed for average discharge from mines, workshops and CHPs The plant contains traps for recovery of oil & grease, clarifiers for removal of suspended solids, flush mixers for chemical dosing, sludge drying beds and pumping arrangements. Treated water is reused for tanker filling, sprinklers, etc. Dried sludge are buried in lined pits.

iii) Silt Arrestors:

Substantial amount of silts are carried along with run off water. Catch drains with silt arrestors are provided in mines area. Those are cleaned at regular intervals. Check dams and siltation ponds are provided to arrest silt flowing into the watercourse. Gabions (loose boulders packed in wire crates) are provided at toe of the active dumps and across the water course with filter pad to stop silt escape into water body. 

iv) Oil Recovery:

Floating oils recovered from traps are collected in drums and then stored on a raised paved area having drains to collect back spillages. Permission has been obtained from SPCB for handling waste oils. Oils in drums are sold to the distillation units having requisite license through Metal Scrap Trading Corporation (MSTC), a Govt. of India undertaking, by way of press advertisement.

C.	Noise & Ground Vibration Control Measures

Noise Pollution Control measures adopted by NCL:

v Blasting operations are carried out between 1200 to 1500 hrs being lean period for project work.

v Muff and/ plugs for ears are provided to employees under effect of noise.

v Curtain plantations are provided at mine boundaries.

v Routine maintenance of all equipment is done to control noise and vibration.

D) Technical & Biological Reclamation of External OB Dumps of Opencast Mines:

Vegetative covers over bare OB dumps have been provided in major projects. It ensures stability to dump slopes. The dumps have been reclaimed by constructing proper benching and providing reinforced grass-mat covers, gabions and drains. The slope surface has been covered with mixture of grass-seeds, agricultural soil and manure laid in coir/ hay/ straw / geo-textile-mat. The plantation of trees, shrubs and grass has been done profusely on crowns of dumps, ring bunds, dykes, recess, slopes, etc to ensure thick biological growth. For maintaining vegetative cover, water sprinklers have also been deployed at specific points.

Quality Policy of NCL

We are committed to,

· Assured quality of our coal supplies,

· Continual improvement in system functioning,

· Compliance to mining requirements, and

· Optimum utilisation of available resources.

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