Date:27/12/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/27/stories/2008122752590300.htm

Tamil Nadu

Public hearing on iron ore project today

Staff Reporter

Government has given approval for setting up mine on 325 hectares

“780 residents of Chengam may get direct employment”
“Thick plantation will come up in and around the mine”

CHENGAM: A public hearing under the chairmanship of Tiruvannmalai Collector M. Rajendran will be held on Saturday on an iron ore mining project that will be set up at Kavuthimalai and Vediappanmalai forest land.

The State government has given its approval for setting up the mine on 325 hectares.

The public hearing will give an opportunity to 44 panchayat heads and councillors in the Chengam panchayat union to express views about the project. Officials from various government departments, including the Pollution Control Board, will be present.

However, panchayat heads, councillors and representatives of various non-governmental organisations, attended a preliminary meeting chaired by Chengam panchayat union Chairman G. Kumar at the Block Development Office here on Friday and sought to know about the benefits Chengam residents would enjoy from the mine.

Mr. Kumar assured the councillors that all reservations and objections would be addressed by the district administration. Representatives from the companies were also present at the meeting.

The iron ore mine was a joint venture between the JSW Steel Limited, Salem district, and the Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation Limited (TIDCO). The company representatives said that conventional explosives would be used for blasting. All haul roads would be properly maintained.

The project would provide direct employment to 780 residents of Chengam and indirect employment to 3,000, the officials said. As regards noise pollution control measures, they said that thick plantation would come up in and around the mine.

The companies would ensure proper maintenance of noise generating parts of the machine. Moreover, earmuffs would be provided to workers. The companies would install a strict vibration control system. Blasting would be carried out as per blasting technology guidelines. Besides, drilling parameters such as overburden, depth, diameter and spacing would be properly designed.

On the proposed mitigation measures to be implemented at the mine site, the officials said that provisions for a systematic drainage system for diverting surface run-off during the monsoon would be made.

The companies would also be constructing a series of check-dam pits and filter beds to arrest silt.