Parliament Question: Environmental Clearance to Shree Cement Limited

OIH GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2461 TO BE ANSWERED ON 03.08.2026 Environmental Clearance to Shree Cement Limited 2461. SHRI VIJAY BAGHEL: Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state: (a) whether Shree Cement Limited, Khapradih, Chhattisgarh was granted Environmental Clearance on 11.09.2019 for a clinker production capacity of 13.5 MTPA at a time when the available limestone linkage was not commensurate with the approved capacity if so, the details thereof; (b) whether the company stated before the Chhattisgarh Environment Conservation Board that the 13.5 MTPA capacity had been commissioned, while subsequently, in its application to the Ministry for Unit-IV, it stated that the previously approved capacity had not been fully installed, if so, whether these installed contradictory records have been examined and if so, the details in this regard; and (c) whether the Government proposes to conduct an independent inquiry into the limestone linkage, actual production, environmental compliance and the potential impact on State revenue in respect of the said project, if so, the details thereof? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH) (a) to (c): An Environment Clearance (EC) was granted by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) on 11-09-2019 to M/s Shree Raipur Cement Plant (a unit of M/s Shree Cement Limited) in respect of a project located near Village Khapradih, Tehsil Simga, District Balodabazar – Bhatapara, Chhattisgarh. The EC was accorded for expansion in production of clinker manufacturing from 5.2 Million Tonnes Per Annum (MTPA) to 13.5 MTPA and cement manufacturing from 6 MTPA to 16.5 MTPA, along with Waste Heat Recovery Power Plant from 15 to 30 MW, Captive Power Plant from 25 MW to 125 MW and Synthetic Gypsum Unit of 65 Tons per Hour. As per the submission made by the Project Proponent (PP), the proposed expansion involved enhancement of production in existing Units 1 and 2, and setting up of new Unit-3 in a phase-wise manner. The proposed enhancement in production was linked to the proposedexpansion of Bharuwadih - Samradih and Karhi - Chandi limestone mines for which PP had already applied for grant of the EC. In light of the proposed linkage of mines, an EC condition was also prescribed as below: “The limestone for the project shall be sourced only from (i) Existing Captive Semradih & Bharuwadih Limestone (M.L Area 531.126 ha) and (ii) Karhi - Chandi Limestone Mine (ML area 242.127 ha) which are located adjacent to plant site. In case of any change in source of limestone, the project proponent shall obtain prior permission from MoEF&CC.” After due examination, the Ministry accorded ECs to the Bharuwadih - Samradih and Karhi - Chandi limestone mines on 27-08-2020 and 15-05-2020 for limestone production of 11.06 MTPA and 1.5 MTPA, respectively. As per the EIA reports submitted by the Project Proponent, the limestone requirement of the cement plant is proposed to be met from these two mines. As on date, no application for grant of EC pertaining to Unit-4 is pending with the Ministry. The Sub Office, Raipur had submitted Certified Compliance Report (CCR) vide letter dated 10-09-2025. The environmental compliance status of the project has been examined, as per the standard operating procedure (SoP) of the Ministry, with respect to the ECs associated with the project, including EC dated 11.09.2019 and it has been concluded that no major violation of Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 has been observed, prima facie for the cement plant operations. As per the information provided by the Chhattisgarh Environment Conservation Board, it had granted Consent to Operate to M/s Shree Cement Limited, Village-Khapradih, Tehsil - Simga, District - Balodabazar-Bhatapara (C.G.) for total clinker production capacity of 12.5 MTPA against EC permitted clinker capacity of 13.5 MTPA. Cement plant of M/s Shree Cement Limited, Village- Khapradih, Tehsil - Simga, District - Balodabazar-Bhatapara (C.G.) was inspected by the Chhattisgarh Environment Conservation Board on 06-03-2026. During inspection, industry was found operational and the pollution control systems such as ESPs and bag filters are in operation. The STP/ETP installed for treated wastewater was also found to be operational. *****