No.J 21012/39/2000-IA-III
Government of India
Ministry of Environment and Forests

Paryavaran Bhavan,
CGO Complex,
Lodhi Road,
New Delhi-11003,
August 8, 2001.

Sub: Bangalore Mysore Infrastructure Corridor Project by M/s Nandi infrastructure Corridor Enterprises Limited.- Environment Clearance Regarding

Ref is invited to the letter No. NICE/10/803 dtd. 4th december 2000 from M/s. Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprises Limited regarding the subject mentioned above. Subsequent information furnished vidde their letters No. NNICE/02/77 dtd. 3rd February 2001 and 7th February 2001  No. NICE/03/262 dtd 24th March 2001 No. NICEL/04/373 dtd. 26th April 2001 No. NICE/05/402 dtd. 21st May 2001 and No. NICE/06/490 dtd. 5th June 2001 have also been considered. The clarification furnished by Govt. Of Karnataka vide their letter No. PWD/155/CRM/95/MOEF-EIA Clearance/2000-01 dtd. 30th April 2001 has been considered.

It is noted that the scope of the said project involves construction of 111 km. long tolled expressway, 41 km. long tolled outer peripheral road connecting NH.4 and NH. 7 9.1 kilometer link road connecting expressway to downtown of Banglaore city, 3.1 km. long elevated section of the link road 5 townships, power plant and other associated infrastructure facilities. The EIA notification 1994 as amended subsequently is attracted to the road /expressway component and power plant. Since the power requirement in the initial phases is to be met through Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Limited and Hospet Power Limited the environmental clearnace for the power plant shall be obtained at a later date as per the rules and the regulations applicable. Therefore, the scope of the project for the purpose of this clearance under reference is limited to the road/expressway component of the BMIC project.

The total land requirement for the project is estimated to be 20193 acres out of which 4076 acres would be required for the expressway alone. It includes 168 acres of forest land for which in prinicple approval for diversion of forest land has been obtained. The Karnataka State Pollution Control Board has issued their NOC vide No. KSPCB/ CFE/DEO-2/AEO-2/2000-2001/208 dtd. 11th August 2000. Public hearing for this project was held at Mysore, Mandya and Bangalore on 30th June 2000, 3rd July 2000 and 5th July 2000 respectively.

The average water requirement during construction phase is estimated to be 470 cu.m per day with a peak demand of 560 cu.m per day. The water requirement will be met through supply from Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board. 1320 families are likely to be affected as a result of the project. The project-affected persons will be resettled and rehabilitated as per the plan approved by the Govt. of Karnataka. The total cost of the project is estimated to be RS. 1930 crores.

The proposal has been examined in the Ministry of Environment and Forests and is hereby accorded environmental clearance subject to effective implementation of the following conditions and environmental safeguards.
(a)     Specific Conditions
(i)     all the conditions stipulated by Karnataka State Pollution Control Board vide their letter No. KSPCB/CFE/DEO- 2/AEO-2/2000-2001/208 dtd. 11th August 2000 shall be effectively implemented.
(ii)    All the conditions stipulated by this ministry while according forestry clearance for diversion of forest land shall be strictly implemented.
(iii)   The Project affected people shall be rehabilitated as per the Rehabilitation plan approved by the Govt. of Karnataka vide their GO No. RD 161 REH 20001 dtd. 23rd April 2001.
(iv)    All the designs will eb duly approved by the public works department Govt. Of Karnataka and it shall be ensured that the safety measures as per Indian Road Congress (IRC) and other standards are built into the design till execution.
(v)     Noise barriers will be provided at the appropriate locations so as to ensure that the noise levels do not exceed the prescribed standards.
(vi)    Appropriate arrangement for providing of percolation pits, storm water drainage and culverts shall be provided to ensure that ground water recharge and hydrology of the area is not adversely affected. It will also be ensured that the adjoining villages are not subjected to flash floods as a result of this project.
(vii)   Arrangements shall be made for rainwater harvesting in the project design and the rain water so harvested shall be optimally utilised. In addition rain fed water tanks shall be augemented by rainwater harvesting to maintain their aesthetics and for environmental protection.
(viii)  The solid wastes generated will be disposed in identified areas for which prior approval of the state pollution control board shall be obtained.
(ix)    Specific environmental clearance for the power plant shall be obtained as per the rules and regulations applicable to the same.
(x)     No sand will be withdrawn from the river beds for construction of this project.
(xi)    Flyash shall be used to the extent possible in the construction of the project. For the purpose an action plan identifying the specific power plants from where the fly ash /bottom ash will be taken  and the quantities thereof which could be utilised in the project shall be prepared and submitted to this Ministry within three months.
(xii)   Accident mitigation measures and the procedure to be followed in emergency situation should be detailed and information furnished to this ministry within three months.
(xiii)  Adequate number of underpasses shall be provided in the portion of the alignment passing through habitations.
(xiv)   Adequate avenue plantations shall be carried out all along the alignment and specific allocation of funds shall be made in this regard. Details in this regard will be furnished within three months.

(b)     General Conditions
(i)     Adequate provision for infrastructure facilities including water supply fuel and sanitation must be ensured for construction workers during the construction phase of the project in order to avoid any damage to the environment.
(ii)    Appropriate measures must be taken while undertaking digging activities to avoid any likely degradation of water quality.
(iii)   Borrow sites for earth, quarry sites for road construction material and dump sites must be identified keeping in view the following:
(a)     no excavation or dumping on private property is carried out without written consent of the owner
(b)     no excavation or dumping shall be allowed on wetlands, forest areas or other ecologically valuable or sensitive locations
(c)     excavation work should be done in consultation with the soil and conservation and watershed development agencies working in the area and
(d)     construction spoils including bituminous material and other hazardous materials must not be allowed to contaminate water courses and the dump sites for such material smuts be secured so that they should not leach in to the ground water.
(iv)    The construction material should be obtained only from approved quarries. In case new quarries are to be opened specific approvals from the competent authority should be obtained in this regard.
(v)     Adequate precautions should be taken during transportation of the construction material so that it does not affect the environment adversely.
(vi)    Borrow pits and other scars created during the road construction should be properly leveled and treated.
(vii)   The project affected people if any should be adequately rehabilitated and the details in this regard should be furnished to the ministry.
(viii)  Adequate financial provision must be made in the project to implement the stipulated safe guards.
(ix)    The project proponents will set up separate environmental management cell for effective implementation of the stipulated environmental safeguards under the supervision of a senior executive.
(x)     Full support should be extended to the officers of this ministry/ regional office ar Bangalore by the project proponents during their inspection of the project for monitoring purposes by furnishing full details and action plan including action taken reports in respect of mitigative measures and other environmental protection activities.
(xi)    A six monthly monitoring report shall be submitted to the regional office of this ministry at Bangalore regarding the implementation of the stipulated conditions.
(xii)   The ministry or any other competent authority may stipulate any other conditions or environmental safeguards subsequently if deemed necessary which should be complied with.
(xiii)  The Ministry reserves the right to revoke this clearance if any of the conditions stipulated are not complied with to the satisfaction of the ministry.
(xiv)   In the event of a change in project profile or change in the implementation agency, a fresh reference shall be made to the Ministry of Environment & Forests.
(xv)    The Project Proponents shall inform the Regional Office as well as the Ministry the date of financial closure and final approval of the project by the concerned authorities and the date of start of land development work.
(xvi)   A copy of the clearance letter will be marked to the concerned panchayats/ local NGO if any from whom any suggestion/ representation has been received while processing the proposal.
(xvii)  State Pollution Control Board should display a copy of the clearnace letter at the regional office, district industries centre and the Colletors office/ Tahsildar office for 30 days.
(xviii) The project proponent should advertise at least in two local newspapers widely circulated in the region around the project, one of which shall be in the vernancular language of the locality concerned informing that that projetc has been accorded Environmental Clearnace and copies of clearnace letters are available with te State Pollution Control Board and may also be seen at website of the Ministry of Environment And Forests at http://envfor.nic.in the advertisement should be made within 7 days from the date of issue of the clearance letter and a copy of the same should be forwarded to the regional office of this ministry at Bangalore.

These stipulations would be enforced among others under the provisions of Water (Prevention and Control Of Pollution) Act, 1974, The Air (Prevention and Control Of Pollution) Act, 1981, The Environment (Protection) Act,1986, the Public Liabiliyt( Insuarance) Act, 1991, and the EIA Notification, 1994, including the Amendments and the rules made thereafter.
(Dr.S.K. Aggarwal)
Additional. Director

To,
The Director,
Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprises Limited,
1 Midford House, Midford Garden,
Off M.G. Road,
Bangalore-560001.

Copy to :
(i)     the Secretary Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Transport Bhavan, 1 Parliament street, New Delhi, 110001.
(ii)    The Secretary, Environment and Forest Dept., Govt. Of Karnataka, Bangalore
(iii)   The Member Secretary, Karnataka State Pollution Control Board, 6, 7, 8 and 9th Floor ( Public Utility Buidling) Subhas Chandra Bose Building, M. G. Road, Banglaore, 560001
(iv)    The Chairman, Central Pollution Control Board, Parivesh Bhavan, CBD cum Office Complex, East Arjun Nagar, Delhi, 110032.
(v)     The Chief Conservator of Forest, Ministry of Environment and Forests, Govt. of India, Regional Office, Kendriya Sadan, 4th Floor, E&F wings, 7th Main Road, II Block, Koramangala, Bangalore, 560034.
(vi)    Senior Advisor (H)
(vii)   Guard File
(viii)  Monitoring File.

Dr. S.K. Aggarwal