20

STUDY AREA

The present study was conducted around Jayant opencast coal mines, Northern

coal limited in the singrauli coal fields between 240

05’ 55’’ to 240.11” N lattitudes, 82

0

38’10’’ to 820 40’45’’ E longitudes and elevation of 300-500 m above MSL.

The Singrauli region is the south eastern part of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya

Pradesh, India, is one of the most polluted industrial sites of Asia. It encompases 11 open

cast coal mine and six thermal power station that generate about 7,500 MV (about 10% of

India installed generation capacity).

The Singrauli coal fields cuts across the state boundaries of Uttar Pradesh out of

its total area of about 2202 Sq Km, approximately 80 Sq Km in the North east falls in the

Sonebhadra district of U.P., while the major part of the Gondwna basin in included in the

sidhi and Shahdol district of M.P. The state boundary between U.P. and M.P. runs along

the Balia Nala to the west and along the road connecting paratawar and Belawalia to the

South (Ahmad, F. 1955)

The Singrauli coal field has acquired 19352 hectare of land out of which 9508,

2716 and 6150 hectare are forest, government and tenacy land respectively.

JAYANT OPEN CAST COAL MINE

Mining of coal at Jayant was started in 1976 with average stripping ratio of 1:2.60

having coal reserve of 348.93 million metric tons and overburden materials of 831.9

million m3.

TOPOGRAPHY & DRAINAGE

The area consists of high plateau with an elevation ranging between 483 m and

646 m above MSL. The coal field in located in the drainage area of Son and Rihand

rivers. The area is traversed by a number of stream which are mostly seasonal and flow,

to their full capacity during rainy season. The area belongs to the major lithological unit

of Barakar formation of Permian age. The barker formation mainly consist of medium to

coarse grained, light grey, pink and white arkose with some thick coal seams and their

interband of shale and pink colour clays.

21

COMMUNICATION

Singrauli (Morva) located within the coal field is connected by all weather roads

with waidhan (22km) on the South and Satna (307 km) in the west. Singrauli in also

connected by road with pipri (40 km) Renukoot (50 km), Mirzapur (193 km) and

Varanasi (210 km) in the east in U.P., And all weather roads also skirts around the

eastern part of the coal field from Aundi to Jayant project via Kota (Shaktinagar). The

coal field has been connected by rail with the opening of Chopan-Katni line. The nearest

railway station for North eastern part of the coal field, which is the centre of present

mining activities, is (Morwa) Singrauli.

Table-2.1

Climatological date of study area (Average of 3 year 2006-2008)

Months Average Temperature

(ºC)

Rainfall

(mm)

Relative

Humidity

(%)

Wind

Speed

(Kmhr-1

)

Predominant

wind direction

Max Min

January 21.3 13.1 5.1 35.5 5.5 SE, E

February 25.5 17.7 2.6 36.0 7.2 SE

March 35.0 22.6 22.4 50.5 8.0 SW

April 40.5 28.0 12.2 40.2 8.7 SW, W

May 44.5 33.4 4.6 30.4 10.5 W, SW

June 42.0 32.5 170.0 61.2 12.6 W, NW

July 31.6 30.0 329.5 80.0 8.8 NW, SE, SW

August 35.5 27.5 273.5 69.8 8.5 NW, SE, SW

September 37.1 26.3 770.0 87.5 8.6 SW, NW

October 29.4 22.1 131.0 70.0 4.9 SE, SW

November 24.3 18.5 4.8 39.3 4.3 SW, SE

December 19.5 14.8 3.9 37.9 3.3 SE, E

22

CLIMATE

The coal field experiences a tropical mansoon type of climate, though the winter

are rather cold, the summer temperature often shoot up 450

C ever in the shade, however,

the night are pleasantly cool even on the day when the temperature are high. The area

enjoys a rather heavy monsoon and annual rain falls varies between 125 cm and 150 cm.

Climatologically, the area is characterized as tropical into a mild winter.

(November – February), a hot summer (April – June) and a warm rainy season (July –

September).

The average climatologically data of the area from 2007-2008 are given in table –

2.1 Average minimum temperature ranged from 13.10C to 33.4

0C and average maximum

temperature from 19.50C

to 44.5

0C. Maximum temperature was recorded during may

(44.50C) and minimum during January (13.1

0C). The rain fall in the area varied between

2.6 mm to 770.0 mm during different month from 2006 to 2008. Maximum rain falls was

recorded in the month September (770.0 m) and minimum in February (2.6) Relative

Humidity varied between 30.4% to 87.5% was recorded in the month of September and

minimum of 30.4 in the month of may. Wind speed in the area varied between 3.3 to

12.6. Maximum wind velocity was recorded during summer followed by rainy and

minimum during winter season. Maximum wind speed of 12.6 was recorded in June and

minimum of 3.3 in December. During summer the prominent wind direction were W,

S/W and NW during winter E and SE and during rainy season NE, SE and SW (Fig. –

2.1).

VEGETATION

The ground, especially the elevated areas in mostly covered with open forest of

Kendu, Mohua Biza, Amla and Palash, while the flat terrain in deforested for cultivate

and mining operation. The natural vegetation is tropical dry – deciduous type dominated

by Shorea robusta, Gartn, Boswellia serrta Roxb. ex coleber, Largestromia parisflora

R.oxb., Wrightia tomutosa, Butea monosperma Lemark and Angogeissum latifolia.

23

PLANTATION

The natural vegetation of the area is tropical mixed deciduous type. Due to

continuous mining activity large scale deforestation has occurred in the region. Attempts

have been made, however to develop green belts in open areas. Plantation of exotic as

well as indigenous plant species have been raised along the road sides and on overburden

to develop green patches of exotic plant species such as Eucalyptus hybrid Pryor and

Johnson, Cassia siamea Lamk., Accasia auriculiformis, A. cunn., Casurina equiestofolia

, Casuarina equisetofolia J. R. and G. Frost, Gravellia pteridifolia R. Br. and Native plant

species Azadirachta indica A. Jun. Albizia lebback Benth., Dalbergia sissoo Roxb.,

Mangifera indica, Albizzia proccerra have over been on over burden along the road side

and in green belts. Jayant coal mine has 656.3 hectare of green belt area. Tree plantation

to check air born dust and to attenuate noise level. A total of 98.5 lakh (approx) tree have

been planted in the Jayant project till 2006 – 2008 out of which 11.5area 4.97 lakh in coal

bearing area and rest is residential location.

GENERAL GEOLOGY AND SOIL

The singrauli coalfield lies at the northern extremely of the Son- Mahanandi

master gondwana basin, which stretches from the east coast to the heart of peninsular

India. The Singrauli series consisted of a triangular patch of land lying between the

Rihand and Deohar Rivers. The nature of the parent material is carboniferous. The rocks

belong to Raniganj stage and consisted of fine to coarse grained feldspethic sand and

stones white and gray clays with ferruginous bands, carbonaceous shales and coal seams.

The coal seam formation belongs to the paleozoic epoch and falls in the Damudas series

of the lower Gondwana field being 230 million years old.

The Jayant project area is almost centrally situated in the north eastern part of the

coal field. The Barakars form a plateau with an escarpament in the south along which the

Turra seam sandstone exposures are abundant and the soil cover is generally thin on the

top of the plateau. Based an the data of the drilling dam by the IBM and CMPDI, Ranchi,

India, the following sequences of rocks has been established in the Jayant project area

from surface to downwards.

24

JAYANT – BLOCK

The generalized sequence of the coal Seam here is given below: and also in Fig. –

2.2. The Jayant block is located in the middle part of the moher Sub basin in and in

between latitude 2406’ 45” & 24

011’25” and latitude 82

036’40

0 & 82

0 41’ 15”.

Table 2.6

The overburden above these coal seams generally consists of soil and sub soil

clay, sand stone, and few bands of gray shales and sandy shales and rarely carbonaceous

shales (CFRI 1975). The soil of the area are shallow, leached, residual sandy loam,

reddish to reddish brown ultisols mainly derived from Kaimur sand stones (Dhandraul

orthoquartizite) the soils on the steep slopes are poor and light coloured, but on the gentle

slopes and valleys are thick and dark coloured. Generally soil is poor in N and P contents

and mildly acidic to calciferous in reaction. Details of physicochemical properties of

native forests soil and fresh mine spoils are given in Table No. (2.2, 2.3 and 2.4). Native

forests soil as well as fresh mine spoils have ph values of 6.5 and 6.40 respectively native

forest soil contains 60.0. sand 32.0% silt 8.0 % clay wheras fresh mine spoil has more

amount of sand 87.30 and lesser amount of silt. 8.20 and clay 2.50 nutritionally the fresh

mine spoil in poor than that of native forest soil. Heavy metal concentration are high in

fresh mine spoil as compared to native forest soil.

Rock type strata Thickness is meter

Soil and Sub soil 0 – 3

Sand stone and Shale 65.50

Purewa top seam 2.62 to 10.83

Parting sand stone 17.83 to 32.59

Purewa Bottom seam 5.98 to 12.66

Parting sand stone 52.17 to 59.90

Tura Seam 13.34 to 20.32

Coal (Kota top seam) 1.75 to1.96

Parting sand stone 28.04 to 29.50

Coal (Kota bottom seam) 0.76 to 1.15

25

Table-2.2

Physics Properties of Native Forest soil and forest mine soil

Parameter Forest Forest mine soil

Texture (%)

Sand 60.0 87.30

Silt 32.0 8.20

Clag 8.0 2.50

Bulk Density qucm-3

1.15 1.45

Water Holding Capacity % 53.43 25.00

Moisture Content 14.5 6.83

Porosity 56.60 45.28

pH 6.5 6.40

Table- 2.3

Selected Chemical Characters of Native Forest Soil and Forest Mine spoil.

Parameter Forest Soil Fresh Mine Spoil

Organic carbon (%) 1.13 0.46

Total N (%) 0.253 0.028

Total P (mg g-1

) 6.8 2.25

Exchangeable Ca (mg g-1

) 2.33 3.95

Exchangeable K (mg g-1

) 0.43 0.10

Exchangeable Na (mg g-1

) 0.038 0.43

Exchangeable Mg (mg g-1

) 0.49 0.13

Mineral –N (mg g-1

) 17.6 0.95

Available –P (mg g-1

) 35.5 12.3

26

Table - 2.4

Selected Heavy metals of native forest soil and Forest mine spoil (mg g-1

)

Parameter Forest Soil Fresh Mine Spoil

Nickel 1.31 4.80

Cromium 3.30 12.2

Lead 1.50 7.00

Cadmium 0.86 4.43

Maganers 18.53 48.5

Zinc 493.5 920.46

Table-2.5

Characterization of monitoring site.

Zone Zone/Site

Name

Direction Description

A S1 SE, E, SW Working places in the mine, where actual mining

operation such as drilling, crushing, handling,

transportation and excavation etc are done. This site

includes the entire area of overburden where

plantation is developed. This zone considered

highly Pollution generating source.

S2 S This zone occupies the area along the road side

where heavy duty vehicles ply for transportation of

coal. The area around narrow roads where light

vehicle ply also included in this zone. This zone

may be considered of pollution generating source.

B S3 S This site is more close to the road where a number

of transport vehicle stop. In this zone plantation

have been developed. This zone may be considered

as mining sites of non dust generating nature in the

area.

C S4 SE This is primarily a residential locality mainly with

office building day garden and a small market.

D S5 NW This site is 30 km north west from the mining area

covered with thicket forest.

27

BIOTIC AND INDUSTRIAL STRESSES IN THE AREA

The whole area is under heavy biotic and industrial stresses. A continuous

increase in the population growth has led to an increased dependence on forest resources,

consequently leading to rapid deforestation in the region, and the forest land get

converted into agricultural fields. Apart from the obvious aesthetic degradation of land

and the loss of the forest, soil erosion in a potential problem in the area. Deforestation

and removal of ground cover have led to serious soil erosion problem.

Surface mining, for coal results in the dumping of huge amounts of overburden

materials in the adjacent unmined land, leading to land degradation and serious dust

pollution problem. The loose unvegetated overburden dumps are major source of dust in

the surrounding specially during dry periods. The mining operations such as blasting,

removal of earth materials. Digging, transportation, dumping and loading of coal

substantially increase the amount of toxic substantially in the environment.

Apart form coal mines there are several coal-fired thermal power plants which

also contribute to air pollution problem in the area.

The present study was conducted in the areas affected by Jayant opencast coal

mine. Surface mining in characterized under fungitive sources of pollution for the

purpose of the present study, the whole area was divided in to four zones and five major

sites. (Figure no - 2.3) and (Table no. – 2.5) The two major site (S1 & S2) comes into

ZONE I ‘A’ and other zone namely B, C and D have one major site (S3, S4 and S5). For

each major site three micro sites were selected on basis of identical activities location of

different study sites are shown in Figure (2.3). Characterization of monitoring sites of air,

soil and plant performances in detailed in Table (No.2.5). Air monitoring was done at all

major sites.

*******