Fauna- No particular type of fauna finds except snakes, hynus & Jackals, wild cat, wildhen etc. are found in and around the area.

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1 Environmental Management Plan Baseline information Topography:- The general slope of the area is towards east and gently sloping from 25 0 to 30 0 except southern part which is sloping towards south The topography of the area is rough and rugged. The area by and large has a gentle slope. Terraced paddy farming is carried out by the villagers on the slopes. The highest altitude recorded with in the area is 1671 mrl towards the NE flank while the lowest altitude recorded is 1588mRL towards the central part and extreme east of the ML area. Drainage pattern:- The seasonal Gaderas namely Dhol Bera Ka nalla flows in west east of the ML area flowing from W to E at distance and also divides the area in two parts northern side and central portion. The another nalla coming from north joins Dhol Bera near central part and meets with bhumia dhar nalla flowing from east to west near southern part of ML which finally meets Tol ka Gadera outside ML area.. The area is drains by first and second order streams which control flow of the Pungar nadi. The seasonal water flows from upper reaches and has curbed courses through erosion process over long geological period and ultimately falls in pungar River. Vegetation:- There is scanty vegetation in the area. The area is cultivated land devoid of trees. The trees are generally present in surrounding Van panchat Land. Small trees of the Banj, Cheer, Kafal,Toon, Devdar, are in Van Panchyat Land. Shrubs-Ghingaru with a few Jhitlu, Kilmora and hisalu occurs and Flora The area is basically grass & agricultural. It is therefore deficient in trees the trees are generally present in surrounding van panchayat land and also in villages which are outside the area. The mining activities will be concentrated on cultivated fields. The mining will be done by semi-mechanised method without drilling and blasting, the trees of surrounding forest will not be disturbed. Shrubs-Ghingaru with a few Jhitalu, Kilmora and Hisalu etc. occurs in the depressions. Grasses-Kumaria, Doob, Shishoona, Gria and Bhawaria. Fauna- No particular type of fauna finds except snakes, hynus & Jackals, wild cat, wildhen etc. are found in and around the area. Quality of air, ambient noise level and water- The existing quality of air is pure due to remote place in Himalaya region. On the basis of past experience with in the area the PM 10 content is less than 90 microgram per meter cube and RPM is less than 50 microgram per meter cube. Similarly ambient noise is practically nil excepting the natural background noise level of nature, as even the nearest habitation is away from the working zone. The nearest village is away from the ML area. The water for drinking purpose and for environmental purpose comes from the pipeline. Water quality of nallas will not deteriorate as mine working proposed are away from the seasonal nalla. The cultivation on mining benches and on terraces of dump during rains will reduce the land erosion during rains. Proposed retaining walls at the toe of the dumps and also water drains with check dams will reduce the chances of fine particles flowing with the nalla water.

2 Climate:- The area falls in temporate zones with pleasure summer and extremely cold in winter. The area receives moderate snow falls during winter from December to February. Max. temp. seldom crosses 34 0 c. During month of June while min. temp. was 01 0 c During January. Relative humidity- It rises from June to February, highest in Jan and decreases during April and May. Relative humidity 16% to 285%. Rainfall:-From June to mid September the rain fall is 70% of the annual rain fall. Max. rain fall recorded in 2005 was 1650 mm. Wind Velocity and direction:-it ranges from 2 to 20 km per hour and direction s-ssw Socio economic environment Details of human settlement and population in the Tehsils are given below: Name of Tehsil Human settlement Male Kapkote Bageshwar Population Schedule cast Literacy Fema le Total Male Femal e Total Male Femal e Total Distribution of male and female and literacy in Tehsils. Name of Tehsil Population % Literacy % Male Female Male Female Kapkote 47.43% 52.57% 68% 41.14% Bageshwar 47.60% % 52.64% Distribution of workers in Bageshwar district Categories of occupation

3 Main workers % age Rural 455 Urban Agricultural Agricultural labour 0.51 Main workers Agricultural 80.3 Agricultural labour 1.15 Animals & forestry 1.16 Mining 0.73 Family occupation 0.97 Non family 0.74 Construction 1.41 Business,trans Others Live stock population Cattles Poultary population 27 on every 100 population 58 on every1000 population Agricultural production Prod. of grains / head population Cereals / head population 252 kg 3.74kg Sufficient water is available during rains after rains pits are vacated & mining is started & their income is mostly from mining.where as they work in mining area or they get surface rent for their land on annual basis. Before the rains cultivated field are prepared suitable for crops & Possession is taken by the land owners. Financial status of the land owners Prior to mining the land owners were depending on 1. Cultivation 2. Cattles for milk 3. Outside as construction labor

4 Average income of the family was Rs / month The average size of the family is 5 to 6 persons. After Start of mining the average income has increased many folds which is reflected by the living Standard, construction of Pacca building & increased number of vehicles in the area. After mining the fields will be prepared suitable for Cultivation and handed over to the land owners and therefore, they will resort to old income generation sources. However, the land owners are encouraged to make savings so that their family and kids do not suffer. Further the community development programme undertaken by the mine owners will improve educational standard of the employees children. public buildings, places of worship and monuments. There is no public building within the ML area.. No national park & sanctuary within 10km of the area. Environmental Issues (a) The mineralization is along hill slope. (b) The vegetation in the area is scanty and no tree is likely to be felled. (c) Nallas are flowing with in the area however safety zone will be left nallas will not be disturbed stacking of waste will be done after constructing toe retaining wall to prevent flow of fines to nallas. (d) After mining Backfilling will be done in the pits and during rains pit will be back filled and after rains it will be vacated so that during rains cultivations continue. (e) Garland drainages will be constructed surrounding the pits, dumps and no drainage will be disturbed. (f) check dams will be constructed before the water leaves the area ultimately falling in to the near by drainage. (g) Necessary infrastructure will be provided at nearby villages. (h) Village and hutments are far away from the area and therefore there will be no shifting, and impact due to air pollution, noise etc. will be minimum. (i) Employment of local persons and CSR activities will Improve Quality of life. Environmental management plan Land use pattern pre mining, mining operations (during life of mine & post mining at the end of conceptual period) (Refer Plate No. VI). At the beginning of the mining Area (ha) During life of mining Area (ha) Reclamation at the end of the mining Area(ha) Agriculture and other land where Mining 2.86 Backfilling,stabilization 2.86

5 mining permitted and cultivation External dumps( waste) 0 Waste dump area vacated 0 Mining can be done with permission[total ] 2.86 External top soil stack 0 Top soil area vacated 0 Mule track 0 Mule track backfilling 0 Sub Total (area used) 2.86 Sub total 2.86 Area not disturbed 1.82 Area not disturbed 1.82 ML Area 4.68 Total 4.68 Total : 4.68 Note: During the operation of the mines external mule tracks will be extended, but as soon as the mining in that part will cease the area will be back filled and handed over to the cultivators so during life of the mining ultimate land use in that activity will be nil. The mule track, foot track existing as on date will continue will not be disturbed. However the mule track constructed during mining will be maintained if the cultivators wish and want to continue the same. Public Land will not be disturbed at any stage of mining. The infrastructures required to operate the mine will be maintained by hiring the accommodation and contractors available in the area. Reclamation- Mining will be done up to from the surface according to availability of Mineral in the entire mineable area.since simultaneous back filling will be done, terraces will be formed

6 and land will be handed over to the cultivators after developing the land suitable for the cultivation, therefore no pit will be formed at the end of mining or during the mining, ultimately size of the pit will not change only topography of the area will change. Ultimately the final terraces will be 1 to 2 M below the existing surface topography the cultivation will continue over the mined out land after excavation of mineral. Back filling & cultivation during life of the mine Period Activity Area Activity Area in hec. Activity Area in hec. Five Year Period Mining pit Back filling & cultivation 1.01 Back filling & cultivation and hand over to the cultivators Year -- do do do Year -- do do do Year -- do do do i. As far as possible the mining should be done along the contours from top to bottom of the selected pits / from lower level to higher level depending on availability of space ensuring safety to start early backfilling. ii. iii. iv. The efforts are to be made for acquiring the land in continuous patches so that optimum minerals can be recovered and the pits can be developed up to maximum depth on regular basis. Mining and backfilling will be continued simultaneously in advancing manner. Before the onset of monsoon the pits will be backfilled and handed over to the Cultivator for cultivation during the rains. v. Pits will be developed in such a fashion that at the time of monsoon the mining benches will act as terraces for cultivation in the land and the Owners of the land will be able to take one crop from the mining land.

7 vi. vii. viii. ix. During future mining in the initial years apart from mining pits, the land for external dumping will be temporarily stabilized and utilized for grass cultivation suitable for fodder of the area or for paddy crops, as the case may be, during rains and once the use of land ceases and the space in the mining pit is available for backfilling the external dumps will be vacated. The backfilling will be started at the time possible minerals from the areas acquired are completely excavated. The backfilling will be done in a retreating manner from lower level to upper level. However, when mining will be done in adjacent block safety pillars will be left between the two mining pits so that in no case there is damage to the stabilized cultivated field handed over to the Cultivator. In many cases when the entire minerals from the pit cannot be excavated before the monsoon and it is forced to backfill the pit, re -handling of over-burden will be done before starting the mining after the rains. x. When the land cannot be procured at a stretch then the separate pits are to be developed and backfilled and to be handed over to the Cultivator as per the agreement. However this will be minimized to reduce the blockage of mineral wealth beneath the back filled area. Environment Protection Mining & Reclamation scheduling- - Mining from lower level to higher level forming terraces along contours. - Dumping of Waste & Soil in terraces along contours in external dumps and vacating the external dump depending on availability of space in the mining pit during rains as far as possible and grass plantation during rains for stabilization of dumps and cultivation in mining pit. - During rains temporary backfilling of pits and vacating the same after rains as per State Government directives (only from pit). - Backfilling the mined out pit from lower level to higher level in terraces. - Vacating the external dumps when the space will be available. - The pits in the agriculture land after final backfilling of waste & spreading over of topsoil and stabilization by grass plantation will be handed over to land owner for final cultivation.

8 During rains cultivation/ grass plantation will continue on the entire mining pits and dumps and back filled areas, therefore there is no loss of cultivation production from the land during the year. Afforestation programme- Since the applied area is agricultural land and individual land owners will not allow plantation in their respective fields therefore plantation will be done in van panchayat land after discussion with local panchayat from time to time for which consent has been taken initially. During life of the mine total plantation proposed will be over 3.33 ha Van panchayat lands. Note: Afforestation During life of the mine in van panchayat land of village Baikori for which in principle consent has been taken but on yearly bases consent will be take: Year wise plantation Location (van panchayat land Thanga) Area in hec. No. of plants No. of species % survival expected Five Year Period Afforestation outside ML % 6-10 Afforestation outside ML % Afforestation outside ML % Afforestation outside ML % Total Community development Community development programme proposed- Details I year II year III year IV year V year Total (Rs)

9 Assistance for construction of houses Assistance for water supply in villages Assistance for sanitary arrangement Maintenance of mule track Donation for temple / school Sport in village / schools Training & Awareness programmes for better farming practices Plantation Programme Total The community development programmes for the future period will depend on profitability and also requirement of the local population. The programme will be made after consultation with local panchayat and senior citizens of the area.

10 Mining & Reclamation scheduling- - Mining from lower level to higher level forming terraces along contours. - Dumping of Waste & Soil in terraces along contours in external dumps and vacating the external dump depending on availability of space in the mining pit during rains as far as possible and grass plantation during rains for stabilization of dumps and cultivation in mining pit. - During rains temporary backfilling of pits and vacating the same after rains as per State Government directives (only from pit). - Backfilling the mined out pit from lower level to higher level in terraces. - Vacating the external dumps when the space will be available. - The pits in the agriculture land after final backfilling of waste & spreading over of topsoil and stabilization by grass plantation will be handed over to land owner for final cultivation. During rains cultivation/ grass plantation will continue on the entire mining pits and dumps and back filled areas, therefore there is no loss of cultivation production from the land during the year. MINE DRAINAGE: Working expected to be 6m below surface during 5 year period. The mining in this area is proposed maximum up to 12m below the surface during the life of the mine. No working is expected below the water table because water table will be about m below the bottom of the pit. No dewatering is proposed, however we are proposing to use 8 cu.m per day water for drinking & environmental purpose which will be brought from the existing natural stream which is near the ML area or from the pipeline of the Jal Nigam. Drainage pattern The seasonal Gaderas namely Bhumia dhar Gaderas and dhol bera gadera flows in east west of the ML and meets to tola ka gadera flowing in south. And all seasonal gaderas drains to pungar River flowing to north to south at about 2 Km distance ML area. Precautions for Confinement of Dumps to Prevent Pollution of Surface Water bodies / courses: The soil stack and inter-burden dumps are temporary in nature & will be used for the purpose of reclamation. However the retaining walls having 0.5m width & 0.75m height for top soil and

11 0.5m width and 0.75m height for waste rock will be provided at the base of soil stack and interburden dump prevent pollution of surface water bodies. The water drains are constructed at the top of the soil stack waste dumps) and mining pits. Measures for dust suppression- The overburden and mineral which will be excavated by excavator / manual labour and dumped in stacks will be mostly moist and may not require water spraying except during summer. However when the dust will become air borne some water spraying will be done at mining faces / dumps. The movement of khachhars on mule track will generate dust and will require water spraying on mule track which will be done to keep ambient air quality controlled. The loaded mobile dumpers will always be covered by tripolins and mineral will be moved in a packed form. Protective measures for minimizing ground vibration caused by blasting and check noise pollution: As the proposed method of mining is semi- mechanized open cast without drilling and blasting, the impact on this aspect is negligible. The noise pollution in the area is due to movement of machines and operations, which will be minimized by proper maintenance of machines, using mufflers for machines and workmen, developing green belt surrounding the mining area and pits.