Locals win battle against state over thermal plant

The Andhra Pradesh government's alleged attempt to ride roughshod over the Environment Protection Act 1986 to allow a massive private thermal power plant on the wetlands of Srikakulam district has failed.

In a major setback to the government and Nagarjuna Construction Company, the National Environmental Appellate Authority has cancelled the environment clearance granted to the project by the Union environment ministry on the ground that it was given without proper and detailed study of the impact the project would have on the fragile ecology of the area.

The order came a day after the violent protests by the local farmers, fishermen and other people led to police firing resulting in the death of at least four people.

On a petition filed by Forum for Better Visakha, Committee for Protection of Environment, Sompeta, and another non-governmental organisation Samata, the tribunal said the clearance could not be given to such a project without proper assessment of the area where the project was being located.

Petitioners alleged that the 2,640 MW thermal power project was being set up in precious wetland areas near a bird sanctuary. The plant was proposed to be built on an area of 1,800 acres with an investment of Rs 12,000 crore.

The tussle over the plant between the locals on one hand and the government and the private company on the other erupted into violence when 3,000 policemen were mobilised in and around Sompeta town to fire at the protestors who had gathered near the plant site.

State Revenue Minister Dharmana Prasad Rao, who is in trouble for allegedly making provocative statements in support of the plant, told the state assembly that only wasteland was allotted for the project and the government was keen to set up such plants as it would give a boost to industrial development and provide employment opportunities to thousands.

The opposition parties and locals have alleged that there was a nexus between ruling Congress party leaders and the private sector company, and that the police was used as a private army to suppress the opposition.

However, Chief Minister K Rosaiah said the state government would go by the orders of the appellate authority on environment and take steps to stop the work on the plant.

Admitting that the mobilisation of policemen had raised suspicion, he said the entire incident would be probed.

The chief minister also announced an ex gratia of Rs 5 lakh to the family of each victim of the police firing.

The cancellation of environmental clearance to Nagarjuna plant was likely to have an adverse impact on six other power plants to be set up in the district with an investment of RS 85,000 crore to generate 10,000 MW power.

Many of them are coming up in wetland areas and the local people fear for their livelihood, fertile land and water resources.

The police firing incident has rocked the state assembly. The opposition, especially the Telugu Desam Party stalled the proceedings of the House on Thursday demanding resignation of Dharmana Prasad Rao.

Opposition parties and environment experts said they were surprised that at a time when thermal power plants are being opposed across the world, the state government wanted to go for so many thermal power plants in a single district.