Minister raises questions on Nayachar

With near consensus reached by the Left Front on selecting Nayachar island as the likely site for a chemical hub, a minister belonging to a minor partner raised questions on Wednesday on locating the mega project there saying it
would damage fisheries there.

West Bengal Fisheries Minister Kironmoy Nanda who belongs to the Socialist Party said that the project would cause damage to fisheries spread across 250 hectare there being run by fishermen cooperatives.

The state government had received a Rs 20-22 crore (Rs 200 to Rs 220 million) loan from the National Cooperative Development Corporation for the fishery project while an additional 600 hectare were to be acquired. The chemical hub would lead to the closure of the project, he said.

The responsibility for repaying the loan, which

had been taken by his department, would now rest with the state government, he said, adding he had already held talks with the West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation.

The WBDIC, he said, had agreed to repay the loan. 

He also said it must be ensured that the Hooghly, a tributary of the Ganga was not polluted because of the project.

Nanda said Nayachar was located under the Coastal Regulation Zone (I). These regulations would not be a hindrance if environment clearance was received for the project.

He said a meeting had been called with GSI scientists on September 7 to assess the soil suitablity for the chemical hub as also vulnerablity of the island to cyclones and tidal waves.

West Bengal Home Secretary P R Roy said there was no proposal yet for an all-party visit to Nayachar.