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1. Report with all annexures submitted to Hon'ble District Collector, Khammam, T.S. State on 16.2.2018

2. Supplementary data on LCQNO: 2812 given by Sri Ponguleti Sudhakar Reddy, MLC regarding opencast mine in Khammam dist.

3. Report of recent study on Blast ground vibrations, JVR OCM M / S SCCL by University college of Engineering, Kakatiya University, Kothagudem

4. DGMS Permissions, SCCL Research & development wing study

5. Analysis report of Online monitoring for Environment at mine area

5) Direct the MoEF to file an action taken report on the violations recorded in the Minutes of 48th meeting of EAC dated 13th & 14th June, 2018 for passing appropriate orders."

9. The 1st Respondent/SCCL filed counter affidavit contending that the 1st Respondent is a Government Company within the meaning of Section 2 of Companies Act, 2013 jointly owned by the Government of Telangana and Government of India on 51: 49 equity basis, exclusively engaged in the work of exploration, excavation, extraction and winning of coal. T h e SCCL is currently operating 18 opencast and 29 underground mines in six (6) Districts of Telangana Sate with manpower around 56,282. The Jalagam Vengal Rao Opencast Mine-I (JVR OC-I) and Jalagam Vengal Rao Opencast Mine-II (JVR OC-II) of Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) are located in Sathupalli area, Khammam District of Telangana State. The existing JVR- OC I Expansion was operating at a rated capacity of 2.50 MTPA in an area of 547.08 ha. from the year 2005 and coal reserves in the mine will be exhausted in 2020-21. Coal production in JVR OC II Project started in 2017-18 and is operating at a rated capacity of 5.00 MTPA. The Applicant is a resident of NTR Colony which is situated at the minimum distance of 617 m from the crest of the Jalagam Vengala Rao Opencast-I Mine of SCCL towards North East direction and about 700 houses are likely to be present in NTR Nagar of Sathupalli. They denied the allegation that on account of the operation of the unit, residents of NTR Nagar are severely suffering due to the blasting and other mining related activities of the 1st Respondent. The project authorities are implementing various conditions stipulated in the Environment Clearance, Consent for Operation and other statutory DGMS permissions obtained from time to time in both JVR OC-I and JVR OC-II mines for ensuring safe and environment friendly mining practices. The project authorities are also submitting compliance report of Environment Clearance conditions to the Regional Office of MoEF&CC on six monthly basis. Further, Environmental Monitoring of air, water and noise levels are being periodically monitored in these mines through an external agency viz., Environment Protection, Training and Research Institute (EPTRI), Hyderabad, a MoEF&CC/CPCB recognized and NABL accredited state laboratory. The said environmental monitoring datas are being submitted to State Pollution Control Board and Regional Office of MoEF&CC and all the parameters are within the normal limits as stipulated by the authorities. Scientific studies on ground vibrations have been carried out through different scientific organizations to optimize the blast design parameters and control ground vibrations, noise and fly rock within safe limit for the nearby dwellings & colony and the conditions stipulated in DGMS permissions are being implemented in the project. Ground vibrations are being regularly monitored and recorded and they are within the stipulated norms. As regards blasting operations, permission for controlled blasting needs to be obtained by the project authorities under Regulation No. 196 (3) of CMR 2017 to conduct blasting operations within 500 m of any building or structure of permanent nature not belonging to the owner. Mining operations are being carried out as per the permissions obtained from the Director General of Mines Safety (DGMS), Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India. Reg. No.196 (3) of Coal Mines Regulations 2017 stipulates that, "In the case of an opencast working, where any permanent building or structure of permanent nature not belonging to the owner lies within the danger zone, the aggregate maximum charge per delay and per round shall not exceed the amount fixed by the Chief Inspector, by a permission in writing granted on the basis of a scientific study, and subject to such other conditions as he may specify therein". They have given the threshold values of ground vibration as as per DGMS Circular No.9 of 1997as follows:-

10. It is further contended that permissions were also granted by DGMS to work mechanized open cast coal mine using Heavy Earth Moving Machinery and adopting Deep Hole Blasting under Reg. 98(1) and 98(3) of the Coal Mines Regulations, 1957 at the Jalagam Vengala Rao Opencast-I Expansion Project, vide letter No.H1/SATHUPALLI OCP-I/perm/2005/1830, Hyderabad, Dt. 27-09-2005 evidenced by Annexure-I produced along with the counter. In order to estimate the safe explosive charge to contain the vibrations within the statutory limits (as per DGMS Circular No.9 of 1997), a scientific study was conducted through Central Institute of Mining and Fuel Research (CIMFR), Dhanbad in the year 2006 to assess the impact of blasting on the dwellings of the Vengalarao Nagar colony which is situated within a distance of 274m from JVROC-1 Mine and advised for optimization of blast design parameters. Based on the scientific study, a permission was accorded by DGMS under Regulation 170 (1A & IB) of Coal Mines Regulations, 1957, vide Lr. No. H1 / JVROC / Perm / 2006 / 1543, dated 21.08.2006 for carrying out controlled blasting operations within 300 m and up to 125 m of the Jalagam Vengala Rao Nagar area and Market yard not belonging to owner at Jalagam Vengala Rao Opencast-I. The recommendations of the study were scrupulously followed which is produced as Annexure - II along with the counter. Based on the same scientific study, again in the year 2015, as the blasting operations were proposed to be extended within 500m of dwellings and surface structures, SCCL obtained permission from DGMS to conduct controlled blasting within 500 m and up to 100 m of Jinugupalli Village, temple, tomb, PWD Road etc. vide.H1/1191131339/ JVROC/ Perm107(1B)/2015/2445, dated 15th September, 2015 evidenced by Annexure - III and the study results are being followed by this project proponent as per the DGMS permissions and blasting operations are being carried out accordingly. According to the permission, PPV values of blasting operations are being measured by the company every day using Minimate Instrument, which is approved by DGMS Authorities. The statement showing the PPV Values recorded by minimate instrument from January, 2017 onwards was produced as Annexure IV along with the counter. The blast induced ground vibrations are found to be within the permissible standards stipulated by Directorate General of Mines Safety (DGMS), Dhanbad. There are three villages within the 500 m of the proposed JVR OC Mine (I&II Mine) Expansion, viz., Jinugupalli, Rejarla and Kistaram Villages. However, mining operations were already completed within 500 m of the Jinugupali Village and no blasting operations are required to be conducted within 500 m of any building or structure of Kistaram Village also. Blasting operations are proposed to be extended within 500m of residential structures of Rejarla Village and PWD road which are on the south side. NTR Nagar is at a minimum distance of 617 m from quarry edge and blasting operations were carried out from a distance of 728 m to NTR Nagar. There were no complaints from the residents of NTR Nagar regarding damages caused to residential structures due to blasting operations carried out in JVR OC-I Project prior to year 2017. The complaint was made by the Applicant in the year 2017 when the quarry operations were carried out at a distance of 881m from NTR Nagar. They have clarified in the counter that the mining operations will not extend towards NTR Nagar in future. So, according to the 1st Respondent, the applicant is trying to mislead this Tribunal with false allegations to gain undue sympathy from this Tribunal. A scientific study has been conducted by Department of Mining, Kakatiya University, Kothagudem on 02nd February, 2018 on blast vibrations and air over pressure at nearby villages of NTR Colony and Jinugupalli Villages which are situated within a distance of 617m and 371m o n the Eastern side of Jalagam Vengala Rao Opencast-1 Mine to obtain controlled blasting permission with in 500 m of the dwellings of Rejarla Village and PWD Road etc. and the study report was submitted in May, 2019. The conditions stipulated in the DGMS permission, based on the recent study results or otherwise, will be followed by the project authorities to progress the workings as stated above and it is ensured that the stability of residential structures in the surrounding villages will be unaffected due to blast induced vibrations in future also. The GIST's report had concluded and made the following conclusions and recommendations w h i c h r e a d s a s follows:

Project Authority has already applied for Environmental Clearance for the enhanced capacity from the MoEF&CC under violation category and the same is also under process. Further, the project authority, has also executed a bank guaranty of an amount of Rs. 26,67,00,000/- (rupees twenty six Crores and sixty seven lakhs) to the TSPCB towards remediation plan and natural and community resource augmentation plan, which is valid for 5 years.

Regarding the alleged violation of vibration that is being caused while using explosives during the blasting operations during the mining operations and its impact on the residential area has been discussed by the members. The applicant claims in the O.A. that the houses of the residents of NTR Colony is damaged due to the blasting operations of the 1st Respondent project. But, the first respondent denying such alleged violation rather relied upon that they are practicing controlled blasting technique using none technique as approved by the Directorate General of Mine Safety and ground level vibrations are being monitored regularly and the monitored data is reportedly well within the limit. First Respondent also claim that NTR Colony is 670 m away from the disputed Coal Mine and in between these reportedly there are other residential Colonies and roads and no such compliant was received from those residents. In this regard Committee members unanimously suggested having an expert as a member from the Organization concerned such as Directorate General of Mine Safety (DGMS) and Roads and Buildings Department, Govt. of Telangana to assess the alleged violation. Similar suggestion was also made by the Committee already constituted by the District Collector based on the representation of the applicant. Accordingly, the Joint Committee suggested to appraise these facts before the Hon‟ble NGT through the nodal agency and request to pass appropriate Order for appointing additional members from the DGMS and Roads and Buildings Department, Govt. of Telangana as a member to the Joint Committee and grant additional time of 3 months to enable the Committee to submit the final report.