1 PUBLIC HEARING

As per the approved Terms of Reference (ToR) for EIA study from MoEFCC vide Letter No.

F.No.J-11011/194/2016-IA-II(I) dated 30th November, 2016, Public hearing for this mandated

project was mandated under Paragraph 7(ii) of the EIA Notification , 2006.

Public hearing was conducted for the proposed expansion of existing ethylene capacity along

with new product diversification at Haldia on 25th May, 2017. The people were notified of the

meeting through a public notice in vernacular language – Bengali Newspaper (Ei Somoy) and a

National English Newspaper (The Times of India), issued on 24th April, 2017 (Annex 1.1).

Suggestions, comments, views and objections of the public on environmental issues arising

from the project were invited through the notice. No written

suggestion/comments/views/objections were received.

The key issues that arose and their responses during the Public Hearing have been

summarisedbelow:

Functioning of the Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP) and the fate of the treated

effluent after discharge;

Action Plan of the project proponent (PP)in case there is an accidental spillage of chemicals

or raw materials;

Mode of transportation of the raw material and the finished product.

At the end, as declared by District Head representative – Mr. K. Basak, Additional District

Magistrate, (Development) it could be said that stakeholders had no objection to the project

activities. The concise report of the Public Hearing conducted is given in Table.1and the

Resolution and Minutes of the Minutes and attendance record in detail is given in Annex 1.2.

Table.1 Responses to Issues Raised in Public Hearing and Action Plan Proposed

Sl.

No.

Query / statement

/information/ clarification

sought at the venue of PH

Reply of the query/

statement/ information/

Proposed Action Plan by HPL

1. Shri Tapan Das of

Basudebpur requested to

describe the function of

the ETP for the proposed

expansion and the fate of

the treated effluent that

will be generated post

expansion.

HPL informed that the

existing wastewater

treatment plant is well

equipped to treat the

additional quantity of

effluent to be generated

from the proposed

expansion and the treated

effluent will be checked

for compliance to

prevailing discharge

standards before

discharging into the Green

Belt Canal that ultimately

leads to River Hooghly.

The existing Wastewater Treatment

Facility is capable of handling

3600m3/day of process effluent.

Presently, 2394 m3/day of effluent is

generated. During the operation of the

proposed project, an additional 1000

m3/day of effluent will be generated.

This is within the capacity of the waste

water treatment plant. This section has

been further elaborated inSection 2.7.5 in

Chapter 2. The annual operational cost of

ETP (Rs. 285.71 lakhs) has been included

in the Environmental Budget of 2016-17.

An annual budget of 67 lakhs or for

monitoring ofenvironmental components

has been included in the budget of

Environmental Management Plan (Refer

Section 9.5).The cost of operation of the

WWTP, performance monitoring of the

environmental components during the

operation phase of the proposed project

will be borne by the project proponent.

Sl.

No.

Query / statement

/information/ clarification

sought at the venue of PH

Reply of the query/

statement/ information/

Proposed Action Plan by HPL

2. Shri Ramkrishna Maity of

Durgachak made a query

about the action plan of

the Project Proponent (PP)

in case of accidental

spillage of raw material or

finished product.

HPL informed that they

have a robust spill

management system

comprising of updated

technology and in case of

any such emergency, the

technology will be used to

control the situation and

prevent any damage to the

local environment and

habitation.

The existing provision is capable of

handling any accidental spillage of raw

material or finished product.

3 Shri Mrinal Pradhan of

Durgachak expressed

grievance regarding the

suspended carbon

particles in the atmosphere

regularly adding to

pollution in the area.

HPL replied that the only

source of emission in their

facility is the flare stack

which is 120m high, hence

the emissions from the

stack would not impact

upon the immediate

surrounding environment.

The problem faced by the

local residents could be

due to presence of several

other industries present in

the Industrial area of

Haldia.

The proposed CPP will comply with the

emission standard as specified in S.O

3305 (E) dated 7th December, 2015.

Appropriate engineering controls will

be adopted and the associated cost has

been accounted in the project cost.

This has further described in Section

4.2.5 in Chapter 4.

4 Shri Asit Kr. Das stated

that water bodies in the

vicinity of HPL is polluted

and the water is blackish

that emits pungent odour

particularly during cloudy

days. He requested if the

HPL can undertake some

remedial measures.

HPL explained that

effluent from their unit is

discharged into the

Greenbelt Canal (GBC)

which ultimately leads to

the river Hooghly via

Manasatala Canal. Other

industries in Haldia

industrial area are also

connected with this canal.

This canal is not clean and

requires periodical

dredging as done by

Irrigation Department few

years back. HPL assured

to take up the issue with

local administration.

HPL has a functional Waste water

treatment plant that is used for treating

the effluents and is tested for standard

parameter before discharging into the

GBC at the southern end of the facility.

There is an online monitoring facility of

the treated effluents and real-time

monitoring data is sent to CPCB/WBPCB

servers round the clock basis. In

addition, the water bodies mentioned in

the grievance also refers to the water

bodies present in the vicinity of the

north-western part of HPL. However,

HPL does not discharge any effluent or

runoff in these water bodies. These water

bodies are being used by the industries

upstream of HPL to discharge their

effluents and it become stagnant since

the same is not connected with the

Manasatala Canal.

As part of Action Plan, HPL will discuss

and take up the matter with the local

administration.

Sl.

No.

Query / statement

/information/ clarification

sought at the venue of PH

Reply of the query/

statement/ information/

Proposed Action Plan by HPL

5 Shri Pallab Kr. Das wanted

to know about the

different hazardous

chemicals handled by the

PP in their unit and the

likely associated hazards

which may arise due to

spillage of the same and

also the mitigation

measures to be adopted by

the PP in case of

emergency.

HPL informed the

gathering that the major

probable hazard could be

fire and that they are

equipped with latest fire-

fighting technologies;

moreover inflammable

liquid like Benzene is

handled under vacuum in

order to minimize any

possibility of spillage,

leakage and resulting fire

hazard. In addition the

employees are well

trained and regular safety

mock drills are carried out

to ensure preparedness in

this regard. There are

automatic gas monitoring

and other preventive

measures like steam

injection in flare stack are

in place to prevent

emission of any toxic gas

or vapour which may

have acute health effect to

the residents in the

vicinity.

HPL has undertaken preventive steps

such as LDAR technology to prevent

major hazards. HPL also has fire-fighting

system in their facility (Section 2.7.1 in

Chapter 2). HPL conducts periodical

awareness programs on various HSE

related topics inside the plant ( for

employees & contractors’ employees)

and also in local school, public places

during celebration of World

Environment Day/Safety Day/Fire

Service Day.

The budget allocated for the awareness

program for a year is 0.5 lakhs.

6 Shri S. Roy requested PP

to inform about the

possibilities of emission of

poisonous gases like

carbon monoxide and

remedial measures to be

adopted by them in this

regards.

7 Shri Rajib Barua requested

the PP to improve the

facility like workers’s rest

room and drinking water

facility for the workers

within the factory

premises.

HPL informed that toilets

and drinking water facility

are already present as per

prevailing norms in HPL

at different areas; however

they will further develop

such facilities in

consultation with the

workers.

Toilet and drinking water facilities are to

be provided for new project areas in

consultation with workforce. The budget

for the toilets has already been

considered in the project cost.

Sl.

No.

Query / statement

/information/ clarification

sought at the venue of PH

Reply of the query/

statement/ information/

Proposed Action Plan by HPL

8 Shri K. Basak, WBCS (Exe),

ADM (Dev), Purba

Medinipur requested the

PP to describe the mode of

transportation of raw

materials and products to

and from their units and

the fate of fly ash

generated in the Captive

Power Plant (CPP) and the

details of the operation of

the ETP.

HPL informed that the

liquid material like

naphtha, phenol, motor

spirit etc, would be

transported through

pipeline, ethylene

consumption is captive for

production of HDPE;

other solid materials are

transported by covered

trucks. The fly ash

generated in CPP will be

utilized in local cement

grinding units.

It was explained that the

existing ETP is capable of

treating the additional

effluent to be generated in

the proposed expansion

project and the same is

equipped with online

monitoring device for

parameters such as BOD,

COD, TSS, pH & Flow and

real time data is

transferred to CPCB

server.

HPL has explained the mode of

transportation of raw materials and

products (Refer Section 2.6). As per

MOEF Circular S.O.2804 (E),dated

3.11.2009, HPL will comply with 100%

fly ash utilization within four years of

operation. They have already proposed

dry handling of fly ash. (Refer Section

2.6.4).

9 Shri S Samaddar wanted

to know about the fate of

the hazardous waste to be

generated during the

process activities.

HPL has their own

incinerator with modern

quenching technology for

incinerating some of the

hazardous waste

generated from process

activities and remaining

waste is transported to

nearby Common

Hazardous Waste

Treatment, Storage and

Disposal facility

(CHWTSDF) of West

Bengal Waste

Management Ltd.

(WBWML) at Haldia.

The hazardous waste management

practised presently will be further

followed during the operation of the

proposed project. The additional waste

generated will also be transported to the

(CHWTSDF) by WBWML. The annual

expense incurred towards hazardous

waste disposal has been included in the

Environmental budget for 2016-17. The

incremental cost due to additional

hazardous waste generation during

operational phase will be borne by the

project proponent.

HPL further assured that all the issues raised would be duly considered during installation as

well as operation phase of the proposed expansion project. It was further committed that HPL

will always give priority to the development aspects of the local villages and will try to generate

local employment. HPL would also continue developing local infrastructure, provide medical

facilities to local resident through medical camps, provide aid to local schools and initiate skill

development programs for local youth in consultation with the local administration and public

representatives.

Annex 1.1

Public Hearing Notice in Newspaper – Bengali

English Newspaper

Annex 1.2 Minutes of Meeting

Annex 1.3 Attendance at Public Hearing - HPL

Annex 1.4 Photographs of Public Hearing