Visakhapatnam Steel Plant

Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Ltd.

Half yearly Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited - Visakhapatnam Steel Plant

Environment (RINL-VSP), a Navratna PSE, is the country’s first shore based inte-
Compliance grated steel plant. The company is 100% owned by GoI.
Report The plant is a 3 Million ton Integrated Steel Plant being expanded to
in respect of
stipulated 7.3 Million tons and is a market leader in long products
conditions
while issuing
Environmental Clearance

For submission to
 Ministry of Environment and
Forests
 Central Pollution Control
Board &
 Andhra Pradesh Pollution
Control Board

Period :
April’14
To
Sep’14

 First Integrated Steel Plant to be certified for Quality, Health & Safety,
Environment & Energy– ISO 9001, OHSAS 18001, ISO 14001 & ISO 50001

 First Steel plant in India to be certified for CMMI Level 3 for Information
Technology
Address for correspondence:
Phone: 0891-2518002
Environment Management Department
Fax: 0891-2518631
Visakhapatnam Steel Plant
E-mail: [email protected]
Rastriya Ispat Nigam Ltd.-530032
COMPLIANCE REPORT ON IMPLEMENTATION OF CONDITIONS LAID DOWN
BY THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT WHILE ACCORDING CLEARANCE
TO VSP AS PER DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT LETTER NO. 11011/1/87-IA

Condition:
I. a) ENVIRONMENT MANAGEMENT PLAN (EMP) MUST BE PREPARED WHICH AMONG
OTHERS, SHOULD CONTAIN RESULTS OF AIR AND WATER QUALITY MONITORING TO BE
DONE IN THE PROJECT AREA.
Status:
Environment management plan which contains results of air and water quality moni-
toring along with the other details was provided and submitted. Besides, half-yearly re-
ports are being submitted with the results, regularly.

Condition:
b) CONTINUOUS MONITORING OF AIR AND WATER QUALITY MUST BE INITIATED IMME-
DIATELY. WATER TO BE MONITORED MUST INCLUDE BOTH MARINE AND INLAND WA-
TERS.
Status:
Monitoring of air & water quality including marine water is being done regularly. Results of
Ambient air, effluents, stack emissions, fugitive emissions from coke oven batteries, etc are
enclosed at Annexure I to V respectively.

Condition:
c) MINIMUM THREE AMBIENT AIR MONITORING STATIONS
MUST BE INSTALLED.
Status:
3 nos (three) continuous ambient air quality monitoring stations
within the plant premises and 4th station at Pedagantyada resi-
dential area (down wind direction of the plant) have been installed and all are working.

Condition:
d) AN AIR MONITORING STATION IN THE ZOOLOGICAL PARK IN THE NORTH EAST MUST
BE INSTALLED.
Status:
An ambient air monitoring station (Respirable dust sampler) is installed in the zoo park and
monitoring being done regularly.
2 of 18
Condition:
e. TWO MONITORING STATIONS - ONE FOR AIR AND OTHER FOR WATER MUST BE SET UP
AT KONDAKARLA LAKE TOWARDS THE SOUTH OF VISAKHAPATNAM.
Status:
Monitoring of Air quality (Ref. Annexure-I) and Water Quality (Refer Annexure-V) at Konda-
karla Lake towards South of VSP is being carried out regularly.
.
Condition:
II. THE PROJECT AUTHORITIES (VSP) MUST CONSIDER USING LOW SULPHUR GAS/OIL. IF
SUCH USE IS NOT POSSIBLE, APPROPRIATE FLUE GAS DESULPHURISATION DEVICES MUST BE
INSTALLED AT THE RELEVANT UNIT.
Status:
VSP is using low sulphur fuels and composition of these fuels has been submitted earlier. The
power plant of VSP is using Talcher coal which has sulphur content of 0.17%. The Calcining &
Refractory Material Plant of VSP is using coal tar fuel (A by-product of Coke oven & Coal
Chemical Dept.) with sulphur content of 0.5%.

Condition:
III. VSP AUTHORITIES MUST RECYCLE EFFLUENTS
TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE. IN ANY CASE, THE
TREATED EFFLUENTS MUST BE USED FOR IRRIGA-
TION OF AFFORESTED AREA.
Status:
Township sewage water is being used as makeup
water in Rolling mills & SMS (250 m3/hr) after Appikonda Waste Water Treatment Plant
treatment in Ultra-filtration plant since Dec’2005. Showing RO skids as inset
Water recycling schemes at a cost of Rs 115 cr and it is at various stages of completion to
aim towards zero water discharge plant .Appikonda Waste Water Treatment Plant & RO sys-
tem is commissioned and approx 1.9 MGD water is being saved. Also Balachervu Waste Wa-
ter Treatment Plant & RO system is commissioned partly and 0.2 MGD water is being saved.
RO plant & pumping system in coke Water Saved by reuse of treated Waste Water
Waste water recycling scheme Water saved(2013-14)
oven area waste water is in the final
Balacheruvu recycling 10.1
stages of commissioning. Appikonda WWTP 190.12
Ultra filtration plant 278.65
Units : MGD

3 of 18
Condition:
IV. VSP AUTHORITIES MUST DIVERT THE STORM WATER TOWARDS THE SOUTH SIDE
AWAY FROM THE CREEK(WHICH IS ON THE NORTHEN SIDE).

Status:
This condition was dropped by MoEF vide letter no. J-11014/75/90-1A .II(i) Dated
20.07.2000

Condition:
V. VSP AUTHORITIES MUST RELOCATE SLUDGE/DEBRIS DUMP, THE ASH POND, THE LA-
BOR AND STAFF COLONY SHOWN IN THE SOUTH WEST CORNER AWAY FROM THE SEA
SHORE. REVISED PLAN IN THIS REGARD MUST BE SUBMITTED TO THIS MINISTRY FOR
APPROVAL .
Status:
New slag dump yard area has already been constructed away from sea-shore as per the
advice of Prof. Dave and Department of Environment. Revised plan was submitted vide
letter no. 869/DE dt.30.7.88.

Condition:
VI. PRESENT AND FUTURE LINKAGE
FOR COAL MUST BE ESTAB-
LISHED AND REPORTED TO
THE MINISTRY.
Status:
The coal linkage for VSP is as follows.
1. Steam coal is from collieries of
Talcher & Ib Valley of M/s Maha-
nadi Coal Fields
2. Coking coal is imported from Australia, New Zealand and USA etc., through Gan-
gavaram Port limited.
3. Medium coking coal is from washeries -Rajarappa, Swang and Kathara of M/s Central
Coal fields
Layout showing Afforestation at Vizag Steel
Condition:
VII. a) VSP AUTHORITIES MUST PROVIDE A GREEN BELT OF 3600 HECTARES.
b) ABOVE GREEN BELT WILL INCLUDE 500 M WIDE GREEN BELT ON THE BOUNDARY OF
THE ACQUIRED LAND.
Status:
The status is as given below:
 Total acquired land = 8,827 Hectares
 Area earmarked for Afforestation = 3,600 Hectares
 Area of Green Belt (500 mt. wide) = 1970 Hectares
 Afforestation done in green belt = 1801 Hectares
 Afforestation in areas other than green belt = 1630 Hectares
 Total No. of trees planted = over 50.775 lakh trees

Balance to be afforested is 169 Ha. Out of this, 135 Ha has been handed over to Govt. of
AP for construction of Gangavaram port. The balance area of 34 Hectares will be taken up
by the State government.
During the period from Apr to Sep’14 around 58,500 saplings were planted.

Park at Coke Ovens—Battery 4

5 of 18
Condition:
c) OUT OF THE TOTAL GREEN BELT, 1970 HECTARES MUST BE DECLARED AS RE-
SERVE FOREST UNDER THE CONTROL OF VSP AND GOVERNED BY THE FOREST
(CONSERVATION) ACT 1980, THE BALANCE 1630 HECTARES MUST NOT BE USED FOR
ANY OTHER PURPOSE EXCEPTING FOR FURTHER EXPANSION OF THE PLANT.
Status:
Earlier, the proposal to notify the green belt as a "Reserve Forest" under the control
of VSP was not agreed to by the Divisional Forest Officer, Visakhapatnam on the
ground that such notification would be preceded by handing over the land to State
Forest Department by VSP. Subsequently, the Chief Conservator of Forests, Vide his let-
ter No: EP/1201/30/AD/Vol-5 dt.7.11.97 has clarified that such a declaration is feasible.
In this regard Principle Chief Conservator of forests wrote a letter to Principal Secretary
to the Govt. of AP vide RC No. 52548/97/51 dated. 12.4.2004. VSP requested the Princi-
ple Chief Conservator of forests vide letter no. TA/aff-22/2004/539 dated 8.06.04 to ex-
pedite the matter.

Condition:
d) 2809 HECTARES OF SALT LANDS MUST BE AFFORESTED WITH APPROPRIATE FLO-
RAL SPECIES. THIS AREA WILL BE REGARDED AS PERMANENT RESERVE FOREST UNDER
THE CONTROL OF VSP AND WILL BE GOVERNED BY THE FOREST (CONSERVATION)
ACT, 1980.

Status:
It was brought to the notice of Secretary (E&F) vide letter No.CMD -3(6)36/78,dated 9th
April,1993 that the area of salt land is 160 Ha.

For afforestation of 160 hectares of salt lands (saline area) Central Salt and Marine
Chemical Research Institute (CSMCRI) Bhavnagar, have already completed plantation of
Salvadora plants in 25 Ha as a pilot project. The balance 135 Ha has been handed over
to Govt. of Andhra Pradesh for construction of GangavaramPort..

6 of 18
 COMPLIANCE REPORT ON IMPLEMENTATION OF CONDITIONS LAID DOWN
BY DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT (DOEN) WHILE ACCORDING CLEAR-
ANCE TO VISAKHAPATANM STEEL PLANT.

According to environmental clearance given to Visakhapatnam Steel Plant's revised

cost estimate vide letter No: 11011/75/90-IA - II section, dated 3.5.1993 the present
status of conditions are as follows:

1. THE EFFICIENCY/PERFORMANCE OF 2 DEDUSTING SYSTEMS WILL BE AUGMENTED TO

COMPLY WITH THE STANDARDS BY DEC'93.

Status:
The DE Systems are augmented and are working satisfactorily since December, 1993 after
effecting necessary modifications.

3 Leaves awarded to VSP by Centre for Science and Environ-

ment, New Delhi - as part of the Green Rating Project of the
Indian Steel Industry

7 of 18
Condition:
2. LIQUID EFFLUENTS FOR AMMONICAL NITROGEN AND PHENOLS WILL BE TREATED TO
MEET THE STANDARDS BY DEC'93.
Status
All parameters such as Amm.N2, phenols, O&G, COD etc of the effluent are within norms

Condition:
3. WATER CONSUMPTION SHOULD BE BROUGHT DOWN FROM 39.05 cum/ tonne of liquid
steel (tLS) to 20 cum/tLS. ACTION TAKEN AND THE TIME FRAME REQUIRED TO IMPLE-
MENT THE ABOVE SHOULD BE INDICATED BY VSP WITHIN A PERIOD OF 3 MONTHS.

Status:
Complied. The present specific water consumption (2013-14) is 2.32 cum/tonne of liquid
steel.

Upgraded Mechanical Biological & Chemical Treatment Plant at Coke Ovens

8 of 18
Zero Water Discharge System at Vizag Steel

9 of 18
 COMPLIANCE REPORT ON IMPLEMENTATION OF CONDITIONS LAID
DOWN BY THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT & FORESTS WHILE AC-
CORDING CLEARANCE FOR EXPANSION OF RINL / VISAKHAPATNAM
STEEL PLANT FROM 4 TO 6.5 MTPA
AS PER MoEF EC No. J-11011/196/2005 – IA II (i) DATED 11.08.2005

A. SPECIFIC CONDITIONS

Condition:
I. GASEOUS EMISSIONS SHALL CONFORM TO THE LOAD/MASS BASED STANDARDS AND
NOT TO EXCEED THE LIMITS PRESCRIBED BY THE STATE BOARD
Status:
To be complied . Air Pollution Control equipment are being upgraded to meet the SPM
norm of 50 mg/Nm3. Use of low NOx burners to reduce NOx load.

Condition:
II. ADOPT CLOSED LOOP RE-
CIRCULATING SYSTEMS

Status:
All the re-circulating water systems ex-
isting at VSP are closed loop only.
The same are being adopted in all ex-
pansion units.
Also total water recycling schemes at a
cost of Rs 115 cr. is under implementa-
tion in the following 4 packages
Skids at Ultra Filtration Plant used for Treating
Sewage water from Township for use as make
up in Rolling Mills

10 of 18
1. BC gate & Gangavaram outfall water- Two separate ponds with pump house, treatment
plant and RO plant for treated sewage is planned. Pump house and treatment plant for BC
gate waste water is completed and partly commissioned. Gangavaram pump house & RO
plant is in the final stages of completion.
2. Appikonda sewage treatment plant to treat the sewage from expansion units-work is in
progress.
3. Appikonda outfall water – A pond with pump house and RO plant is commissioned. About
1.9 MGD water is being saved.
4. Marine pipeline to discharge the surplus effluents and reject water from RO plants -laying
of pipeline is completed and erection of pumps is completed and electrical works are in pro-
cess.
 RECYCLE DIRECT CONTAMINATING COOLING WATER IN TO SLAG GRANULATION &
DUST SUPPRESSION
Already in practice. The same is being adopted in expansion units.
 THE WASTE WATER FROM GAS CLEANING PLANTS, MILLS, POWER PLANT & CT BLOW
DOWNS SHALL BE TREATED IN WASTE WATER TREATMENT PLANTS
 Already in practice. The same is being adopted in expansion units.

 THE COKE OVEN EFFLUENT SHALL NOT EXCEED 2880 CUM/DAY (120 CUM/HR) The Coke
oven effluent is about 2000 cum/day only.
 THE SURPLUS WASTE WATER SHALL BE STORED IN THE HOLDING POND FOR USE IN THE
LEAN PERIOD
Separate ponds and treatment facilities are envisaged as explained above
 THE OVER FLOW FROM POND SHALL BE DISCHARGED THROUGH MARINE OUTFALL INTO
SEA
Marine pipeline to discharge the surplus effluents is already taken up as explained above.

Marine Discharge Facility– Nearing completion

11 nearing
Marine Discharge Sump and Pump House of 18 com-
  THE DISCHARGE POINT SHALL BE DECIDED IN CONSULTATION WITH NIO
NIO has already conducted the studies and suggested the route for marine outfall
and is being done as per their recommendations

 MARINE ECOLOGICAL STUDY SHALL BE CARRIED OUT TO STUDY THE IMPACT OF

WASTE WATER ON MARINE ECOLOGY
Done. Report submitted to MoEF& APPCB

 THE SEWAGE WATER AFTER TREATMENT SHALL BE USED IN MILLS / SMS FOR
COOLING PURPOSE
Already township sewage is being recycled in SMS & Mills after ultra filtration.
Sewage from plant shall also be recycled after stabilization of upgraded MBC plant
for treatment of coke oven effluent.

Condition:
Iii PROVIDE CONTROL
MEASURES FOR CHECK-
ING FUGITIVE EMIS-
SIONS. PROVIDE DUST
EXTRACTION / SUPPRES-
SION SYSTEMS IN RAW
MATERIAL HANDLING &
WATER SPRINKLING SYS-
TEM AT THE STOCK
YARDS

Electro Static Precipitators provided at various process

Status: units to control emissions
Pollution control measures
during expansion at an estimated cost of Rs. 450 Cr. Is planned and will be implemented.
In existing units all required pollution control systems are provided.

12 of 18
  PROVIDE DRY FOGGING SYSTEM IN CRUSHING & SCREENING PLANT, MATERIAL
TRANSFER POINTS ETC.
Dry Fog dust suppression systems are provided in all ex-
pansion units.

 DATA ON FUGITIVE EMISSIONS SHALL BE MONITORED &

RECORDS ARE MAINTAINED
Work zone air quality at more than 50 locations is regularly
monitored and data is recorded as per EMS. The same shall be continued

Condition:
iv COMPLY WITH THE STANDARDS NOTIFIED VIDE GSR.631(E) DATED 31ST OCT 1997
TO CONTROL FUGITIVE EMISSIONS FROM BATTERIES

Status:
Fugitive emissions PLD, PLO, PLL, BaP and charging emissions from coke oven batteries are
monitored regularly and are below the norms except charging emissions. Reports are en-
closed at Annexure-IV.

Condition:
v PARTICULATE
EMISSIONS SHOULD
BE <50 MG/NM3

ESP of Blast Furnace-1 ESP : Under Up gradation

13 of 18
Status:
All pollution control equipment is designed for particulate matter emissions to less
than 50 mg/Nm3.Most of the existing ESP’s will be upgraded to < 50 mg/Nm3 during
capital repairs. Up gradation of Burden handling system of BF-1 is completed. ESP of
cast house fume extraction system is nearing completion.

 PROVIDE CAST HOUSE FUME EXTRACTION SYSTEM WITH ESP/BAG FILTER

The existing two blast furnace cast houses and BF-3 (Expn.) are provided with ESPs.

 INSTALL LOW-NOX BURNERS TO CONTROL NOX EMISSIONS

Low Nox burners are provided and all necessary measures are taken to reduce
NOx emissions in Sinter plant-2. These measures shall be adopted for the existing
sinter machines 1 & 2 during their revamping project.

Condition:
vi ENHANCE EFFORTS TO RE-USE OF SOLID WASTES AS PER PLAN SUBMITTED TO
MINISTRY (BF & LD SLAG, FLYASH, REFRACTORY BRICKS, MILL SCALES ETC.)
Status:
Being done. Utilisation at Annexure- VI

 ALL HAZARDOUS WASTES SHALL BE

CHARGED INTO COKE OVEN BATTER-
IES
All hazardous wastes like tar sludge,
Benzol muck, acid tar, MBC sludge
etc. are charged in to batteries along
with charge coal since 1999. The same
shall be continued.

 SPENT OIL SHALL BE SOLD TO AU- Facility of recycling of Hazardous waste from
THORIZED REPROCESSORS Coke Ovens by-product to Batteries
Being done

14 of 18
Condition:
vii DEVELOP GREEN BELT IN BALANCE 34 HA. SELECTION OF SPECIES SHALL BE AS PER
CPCB GUIDE LINES

Status:
The balance area of 34 Hectares in green belt will be taken up after the land dispute is re-
solved by the State government.

Condition:
viii UNDERTAKE RAIN WATER HARVESTING
MEASURES

Status:
Complied. 9 masonry check dams, 1 Earthen
check dam, 94 Percolation pits and 18 recharg-
ing , wells have been constructed so far. Build-
ing constructed in expansion shall also be pro-
vided with rain water harvesting measures.

Condition:
ix OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH SURVEIL-
LANCE OF WORKERS SHOULD BE DONE ON
REGULAR BASIS AND RECORDS TO BE MAIN-
TAINED
Status:
A full fledged OHS&RC is functioning since
1992.doing man maintenance programs, toxico-
logical stud-
ies, noise
surveys, Rain water Harvesting : Under implementation
hygiene surveys etc. Records are maintained as per
OHSAS: 18001.

OHS & RC Building

15 of 18
Condition:
X CREP RECOMMENDATIONS TO BE IMPLEMENTED
Status:
All points are being complied

B. GENERAL CONDITIONS
Condition:
i ADHERE TO STIPULATIONS MADE BY APPCB AND APSG
Status:
Being followed.

Condition:
ii NO FURTHER EXPANSION OR MODIFICATIONS SHALL BE CARRIED OUT WITHOUT
PRIOR APPROVAL
Status:
Noted and will be followed

Condition:
iii AT LEAST 4 AMBIENT AIR QUALITY MONITORING STATIONS SHALL BE ESTABLISHED
IN THE DOWNWARD DIRECTION
Status:
3 CAAQM stations have been established within plant premises and fourth station is in-
stalled at pedagantyada village in the downwind direction of plant. All stations are working
and hourly data of two stations are being uploaded to APPCB.

ENVISION software developed in house for environmental data acquisition and reporting

16 of 18
  DATA ON AMBIENT AIR, STACK EMISSIONS SHOULD BE SUBMITTED TO APPCB,
CPCB, MOEF ONCE IN EVERY SIX MONTHS
Status: Being sent

iv THE WASTE WATER SHALL BE PROPERLY COLLECTED AND TREATED SO AS TO

CONFORM TO NORMS AND SHOULD BE UTILIZED FOR MAKE UP OR PLANTATION

Status:
Separate treatment facilities are provided to collect the waste water and effluents and
recycle them as make-up after treatment. Refer point ii of special conditions above.

Condition:

Condition:
v PROVIDE NOISE CONTROL MEASURES TO LIMIT NOISE LEVELS WITHIN 85 db(A)
ON ALL SOURCES

Status:
Adequate noise control measures are provided.

17 of 18
  THE AMBIENT NOISE LEVELS 75 DBA (DAY TIME) & 70 DBA (NIGHT TIME)
Noise limits are within norms.

 UNDERTAKE SOCIO-DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES IN THE SURROUNDING VILLAGES

Being done

Eye testing and cancer detection camps nearby Chepalapalem village

Condition:
vi COMPLY ALL RECOMMENDATIONS MADE IN THE REPORTS OF EIA-1994 & EMP.
Status:
Complied.

Condition:
vii PROVIDE REQUISITE FUNDS TO IMPLEMENT CONDITIONS STIPULATED BY MOEF,
STATE GOVT.

Status:
Already VSP has spent over Rs 468 cr for pollution control measures. Also ~Rs1283 cr. ex-
penditure is earmarked for pollution control measures in the expansion units.
In addition to the above VSP is incurring over Rs 315 cr. (12-13) yearly towards operating
expenses of all its pollution control systems

18 of 18
Condition:
viii A SIX-MONTHLY COMPLIANCE REPORT SHOULD BE SUBMITTED TO MOEF, REGION-
AL OFFICE, BANGALORE
Status:
Being done
Condition:
ix INFORM THE PUBLIC THAT THE ENVIRONMENTAL CLEARANCE OF THE PROJECT
HAS BEEN ACCORDED BY MOEF. ADVERTISE THIS IN TWO NEWS PAPERS WITH IN 7 DAYS
FROM THE DATE OF CLEARANCE
Status:
Complied
Condition:
X INFORM THE DATE OF FINANCIAL CLOSURE, FINAL APPROVAL OF THE PROJECT AND
DATE OF COMMENCING THE LAND DEVELOPMENT WORK TO MOEF
Status:
Not applicable as finances for the expansion will be met mostly from internal resources.
Final approval of the project by GOI is on 28.10.2005
Work started from Jan’2006
BF-3, SP-2, SMS-2 are commissioned and rolling mills are in the various stages of commis-
sioning.

END

19 of 19