BARMER, RAJASTHAN
Construction Area: 5km2
J.S.W. Energy Limited is India’s leading power company established in the year 1982. It has a power generation capacity of 4531 megawatts. The Barmer plant in Rajasthan comprises of eight 135MW units that produces 1,080MW of power. The Barmer plant uses lignite as a fuel source. Lignite is a low grade coal that is currently sourced from the captive mine at Kapurdi in Barmer. It is operated by a fully owned subsidiary called Raj West Power Limited (R.W.P.L.). RWPL’s power purchase agreement with the Government of Rajasthan allows it to sell its entire output.
Rajasthan State Mines and Minerals Limited (R.S.M.M.L.), a Government of Rajasthan(GoR) enterprise and Raj West Power Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of JSW Energy Limited has formed a joint venture company incorporated as Barmer Lignite Mining Company Limited (hereinafter referred as B.L.M.C.L.). The JV Company has be entrusted to develop lignite block at Kapurdi and Jalipa, in Barmer district of Rajasthan, India.
As Kapurdi mine is in operational stage, total seven number of dumps are planned. Apart from regional level, we are also dealing with various strategies for reclamation of the D2ADump. Its geographical coordinates are Latitude 25°58’39.30"N to 25°58’6.00"N, Longitude 71°20’12.36"E to 71°20’13.31”E. After reclamation, the proposed landuse for D2A dump will be under the green cover as per report prepared by BLMCL environmental impact assessment and environmental management plan. At the start of the project in the year 2017, the height of dump was 35 m. It is still increasing as dumping activity is in progress. As per proposed dumping strategies, the height of dump at the end of the dumping for D2A Dump will be 60M.
The mine wastes require careful management to ensure the long term stability of storage and disposal facilities and to prevent and minimise air, water & soil contamination. Mine reclamation plans can encompass much more than just returning the mining site to its natural stage. After considering all the issues about the D2A Dump and various issues caused due to present dumping methods adopted at site, there is need to intervene all these issues through the formulation of strategies and phase-wise implementation of these strategies during mining operations and after-closure of mining process. Thus, it creates a need to prepare systematic reclamation plan for D2A Waste Dump.
Numerous design strategies were adopted to stabilise the given mine waste dump like controlling the bench geometry, making gabion retaining walls, garland drains, berms and afforestation with native trees like neem, ber, siris, rohera, kumatia.
We have also proposed various architectural possibilities in and around the dump which are relevant to the vicinity & Barmer town as a whole. Observing the exiguity of water, educational facilities and on the contrary the eminence of cattle & migratory birds and growing human civilization, we brought together following landuse plans:
a) Economic Use: Industrial/Cultural centres/ Local art and craft industries/ Poultry farms.
b) Productive Use: Cattle grazing/Pasture land /Fishing/Agriculture/Farming/Solar Energy
plants.
c) Aesthetical interventions: Picnic spots, Tourist destinations/Heritage trails/ Golf
course, Baseball and Football field.
d) For future city growth: Use land for city expansion, residential development/ city
planning
e) Ecological balance through reclamation: Reforestation/ Recreation parks/ Water
catchment areas, Wildlife conservation/ Desert park.
