Summing up:
. The EAC observed that the earlier Form-1 did not give
proper disclosure in respect of the details of forests on the land and nearby
wet land as well as on the water bodies.
. The EAC took into account the supplementary report that
has been submitted which takes into account the deficiency of disclosure and
the same thing has been complied with in the supplementary report.
. In addition, it is also noticed that the mitigation
measures in respect of the depletion of forest cover on the project land and
water bodies have been taken into account. As against 54,176 trees, which have
been felled on the project site based on earlier approvals given by competent
authority, the project proponent is proposing to plant 5,50,000 trees (50,000
trees at the project site, 2,50,000 trees in the nearby villages supervised by
the Biodiversity Board and 2,50,000 trees under the supervision of DGCA.
. This is 1:10 times
the number of trees affected as against the standard requirement of 1:3 times
number of trees to be planted. The overall supervision of this compliance
within the time frame of 5 years would be vested with DGCA. DGCA, however,
needs to constitute a local monitoring committee for periodic monitoring of
this vital exercise.
. The EAC noted that neither the project site nor the
villages in area under study (primary data source) falls in any Eco-Sensitive
Zone (ESZ).
. The 10 villages in Maharashtra side fall in ESA not ESZ
and where the impacts of the project would be minimal. The EAC also observed
that the villages in vicinity of the project in the Goa and Maharashtra region
are not located in very close proximity. The nearest village is about 4.1 km
from the boundary of the project.
. The EAC also observed that beyond the runway of 3.75 km,
the flight operation generally found at an altitude of about 1000 feet and thus
there would not be any adverse impact on flora and fauna in the surrounding
area of the airport.
. The EAC further observed that as per the supplementary
report and the proposal of the water bodies with respect to observation
regarding plateau effect of the land and also laterite surface and the springs,
streams and water courses in the project land have been taken into account and
appropriate drainage channels have been designed to take care of the water
flows into the nearest water courses/rivers, etc.
. Appropriate storm water drainage channeling has been taken
into account not only for the pre-monsoon season but also for monsoon and heavy
rainfall.
. The EAC observed that in respect of the fauna, the primary
data has been collected from one of the nearest village and the secondary data
has been collected from ZSI. In respect of the observation of sighting leopard
by villager, the authorities have indicated that they do not have any
definitive information on the same and this need to be verified/authenticated.
. It is a
well-established fact of silvicultural science and practice that no plantation
can replace the natural forest. The kind of biodiversity in any natural forest
is almost impossible to be replaced by any kind of plantation activity which at
the best can be a mix of various monocultures. We are still far away in our knowledge
of replicating the creation of natural forest. Therefore, to this extent, the
EAC does not agree with the assessment of proponent that after cutting of trees
and planting of 1:10 trees, richer biodiversity the forest would be created.
. However, 1:10 plantation activity under expert guidance
can to some extent compensate the loss of natural forest.
. With respect to the various points raised in the public
hearing, the EAC observed that the supplementary report has made available
point-wise clarifications on the various concerns on the public hearing.
However, Hon’ble court shortlisted 14 items of concern in the public hearing.
Solution/management plan to all these need to be clearly spelt out in the EMP
and implemented in letter and spirit.
. After detailed deliberations/discussion on the submissions
and additional information submitted by the project proponent, the EAC
recommends Environmental Clearance to the project with additional environmental
safeguards/conditions, over and above the specific and general conditions
already stipulated in the EC letter dated 28th October, 2015, besides
additional conditions imposed by Hon’ble NGT vide its order dated 21st August,
2018 in Appeal No. 05 of 2018 and Appeal No. 06 of 2018 in the matter of
Federation of Rainbow Warriors, Margao Vs. Union of India & Ors.and Hanuman
Laxman Aroskar & Anr. Vs. Union of India &Ors.
Statutory compliance:
(i) The
project proponent shall obtain certificate from Chief Wildlife Warden (CWLW) of
State through State Government that none of the area of the project falls in
the notified Eco-sensitive Zone (ESZ) and no activity prohibited in the
Eco-sensitive zone will be taken up.
(ii) The
project proponent shall obtain Consent to Establish / Operate under the
provisions of Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 and the
Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 from the concerned
State Pollution Control Board/ Committee.
(iii)The project proponent shall obtain necessary permission
from the competent authority for drawal of water from Tillari Irrigation Canal.
II. Air quality
monitoring and preservation:
(i) The
project proponent shall install system to carryout Ambient Air Quality
monitoring for common/criterion parameters relevant to the main pollutants
released (e.g. PM10 and PM2.5 in reference to PM emission, and SO2 and NOx in
reference to SO2 and NOx emissions) within and outside the airport area
covering upwind and downwind directions.
(ii) Implementation
of Dust Mitigation Measures for Construction and Demolition Activities shall be
complied with.
III. Water quality
monitoring and preservation:
(i) Appropriate
drainage channels need to be designed to take care of the water flow into the
nearest water courses/rivers, etc.
(ii) It
should be ensured that sustainable water flow in the various channels of
watershed in the plateau is maintained.
(iii) Proper drainage systems, emergency containment in the
event of a major spill during monsoon season etc. shall be provided.
(iv) The runoff from paved structures like Aprons can be
routed through drains to oil separation tanks and sedimentation basins before
being discharged into rainwater harvesting structures.
(v) Run off
from chemicals and other contaminants from aircraft maintenance and other areas
within the airport shall be suitably contained and treated before disposal.
(vi) The project activity shall conform to the General
Standards for Discharge of Environmental Pollutants notified in the Environment
(Protection) Rules, 1986, and amended from time to time.
(vii) Rain water harvesting for roof run-off and surface
run-off, as plan submitted should be implemented.
IV. Noise monitoring
and prevention:
(i) Notification
G.S.R. 568(E) dated 18.06.2018 of MoEF&CC regarding Ambient Air Quality
Standards with respect to Noise in Airport Noise Zone shall be complied with.
(ii) Noise
level survey shall be carried as per the prescribed guidelines.
(iii) Noise
from vehicles, power machinery and equipment on-site should not exceed the
prescribed limit.
(iv) Acoustic
enclosures for DG sets, noise barriers for ground-run bays, ear plugs for
operating personnel shall be implemented as mitigation measures for noise
impact due to ground sources.
(v) During
airport operation period, noise should be controlled to ensure that it does not
exceed the prescribed standards. During night time the noise levels measured at
the boundary of the building shall be restricted to the permissible levels to
comply with the prevalent regulations.
(vi) Where
construction activity is likely to cause noise nuisance to nearby residents,
restrict it to only during day time i.e. between 7 am to 6 pm.
V. Energy
Conservation/climate change measures:
(i) Energy
conservation measures like installation of LED should be integral part of the
project design and should be in place before project commissioning.
(ii) Initiatives
such as Green Infrastructure Development program, adoption of less emission
intensive technologies, renewable energy program, electrical vehicles and
Airport Carbon Accreditation need to be adopted to reduce its impact on climate
change and Green House Gas (GHG) emissions as per environmental best practices
governing greenfield airports.
VI. Waste management:
(i) Soil
stockpile shall be managed in such a manner that dust emission and sediment
runoff are minimized. Ensure that soil stockpiles are designed with no slope
greater than 2:1 (horizontal/vertical).
(ii) The
project activity shall conform to the Fly Ash notification issued under the
E.P. Act of 1986.
(iii) The
solid wastes shall be segregated as per the norms of the Solid Waste Management
Rules, 2016. Recycling of wastes such as paper, glass, metal, plastics, wood,
waste oil and solvents, kitchen wastes and vegetable oils shall be carried out.
(iv) The
project proponents shall implement a management plan duly approved by the State
Pollution Control Board and obtain its permissions for the safe handling of
waste.
VII. Green Belt:
(i) Green
belt shall be developed in area as provided in project details, with native
tree species in accordance with Forest Department. The greenbelt shall
inter-alia cover the entire periphery of the Air Port.
(ii) The
plantation species in and around Airport site should be carefully chosen to
avoid bird nesting and to improve pollution control and noise control measures.
Water intensive and/or invasive species should not be used for landscaping.
(iii) The
proposed 10 times compensatory plantation need to be monitored by the
Government of Top soil shall be separately stored and used in the development
of green belt.
VIII. Public hearing and Human health issues:
(i) Solution/management
plan regarding redressal of all the concerns raised in the public hearing must
be clearly spelt out in the EMP and shall be implemented in letter and spirit.
(ii) Provision
of Electro-mechanical doors for toilets meant for disabled passengers shall be
ensured.
(iii) Occupational
health surveillance of the workers shall be done on a regular basis.
IX. Additional Conditions to be incorporated as per Hon’ble
NGT’s order dated 21st August, 2018:
A. Air Environment
1. It would
be appropriate if the Project Proponent establishes real time online continuous
Air Quality Monitoring Station also which is connected to CPCB server and
capable of monitoring all relevant and critical parameters and mitigation
measures taken.
2. Although
all parameters w.r.t ambient air parameters have been found to be within limits
for all 6 (six) locations monitored, we feel for the purpose of
giving/depicting holistic picture with regard to ambient air in the area, at
least
3 (three)
more locations falling in the State of Maharashtra be also monitored and
documented.
B. Water Environment
1. Only two
number of Rain Water Harvesting pits have been provided which we feel are not
adequate and there is a need to place other pits at such locations so as to
capture all the excess drainage for water re-charge.
2. More
frequent Water Quality Monitoring i.e. once every month may be carried out by
Project Proponent at bore wells and STP discharge plants instead of 4 (four)
times in a year as proposed.
E. Biological Environment
1. Efforts
be made to transplant the trees to other locations in the same vicinity by
using appropriate mechanical devices which are available these days.
2. Efforts
be made to plant indigenous species which are tall in size rather than small
saplings.
3. Concerns
have been raised by appellants with regard to plant species ‘Dipcadi
concanense’ which has been claimed to be a threatened plant. This claim of the
appellants have been negated by the respondent by producing a documentation of
Botanical Survey of India, Western Regional Centre, Pune, Maharashtra titled as
“A Note on Occurrence and Distribution of Dipcadi concanense”. By invoking
Precautionary Principle, we direct the Project Proponent to draw up a
Conservancy by Plan/Scheme for ‘Dipcadi concanense’ in collaboration with
Forest Department, State of Goa and Botanical Survey of India and ensure its
implementation.
During the
deliberation, the EAC noted the following:-
1. The
Committee noted that issues have satisfactorily been responded by the project
proponent and incorporated in the final EIAEMP report. After deliberation, the
Committee asked project proponent to submit the following:
(i) Submit
detailed traffic study report as prescribed in the ToR.
(ii) Submit
No Objection Certificate from Fire Department for the existing Airport.
(iii) Submit
details of waste water generation along with details of STP proposed to be
installed in phase wise manner.
(iv) Submit
details of green belt development. In view of the foregoing observations, the
EAC recommended to defer the proposal. The proposal shall be reconsidered after
the above details are addressed and submitted.
