Burning Issues
Coal based Thermal Power Project vs Wetland
-Dr. Susan Sharma
(with inputs from Saraswati Kavula and Internet news)
The people of Sompeta villages, in Srikakulam Disrict of AP State have been agitating against the proposed coal based Thermal Power project of Nagarjuna Construction Company (NCC), right from the day of the proposal and there was an overwhelming majority
opposing the project coming up in a WETLAND area, at Environmental Public Hearing.
The villagers have been making it clear that the thermal power project would fill the neighbouring fields and villages with ash and would also displace several fishermen families.
The petitioners from Sompeta pointed out that despite India being a signatory to the Ramsar International Convention on wetlands and the protection of wetlands comes under the ministry of environment and forests, the same ministry had cleared the project.
By claiming that three lift irrigation schemes survive on the water from these wetlands, they urged the court to quash the environmental permission given.
Social activist E.A.S. Sarma, former Union Power Secretary, said there was ample evidence to prove that the project site was in swamp land as several water courses passed through the site drawing into the sea.
There were mudflats and tidal action within the definition of Coastal Regulation Zone.
Telineelapuram bird nesting and feeding habitat was located in the vicinity of the project area.
Dr. Asad R. Rahmani of Bombay Natural History Society and Asha Rajvanshi of Wild Life Institute, after visiting Bhavanapadu and Sompeta, said the sites were located in ecologically sensitive areas due to several wetland systems.
The local people managed obtaining an Injunction order from the High Court in July 2010.
The District and State administration along with NCC have been trying to forcefully start the work in the area since April 2010. Large scale picketing by local people had been a deterrent, so when the Court Injunction came, the local struggle was vindicated.
However, things went terribly wrong in July, when the police resorted to firing, provoked by, hired hooligans. The ensuing violence made the Central Government review the Environment Clearance granted to the project, which was revoked.
Finally, the National Environmental Appellate Authority (NEAA) quashed the environmental clearance granted to the Nagarjuna Construction Company Ltd by the ministry of environment and forests to set up a thermal power plant at Sompeta village in Srikakulam
district.
The Centre had earlier cleared the NCC thermal plant along with three other plants that are to be set up in an area of 10,000 acres to generate 10,000 MW of power.
The NEAA faulted the Centre and said that the environmental clearance accorded by the ministry to the project was based on wrong information and was thus liable to be quashed.
“It is relevant to mention here that the...authority has no doubt that the area is a typical wetland of great ecological significance,” said NEAA, and added that it should not be used to set up a power plant.
NCC has been making arrangements for setting up a 2,640 mw thermal power project in Sompeta with an outlay of Rs 12,000 crore.
Sources:
http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/sunita-narain-seelight/402879/
see a video at
http://interceder.net/i/Sompeta
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