Chennai: Public hearing on new thermal plant

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Cooperation (Tangedco) is set to build a new coal based thermal power station for which a public hearing is organized on May 30.

The new station planned next to the existing Ennore thermal power station would deteriorate the survival conditions of the locality, which is an arterial microhabitat.

The new super critical plant with 660Mw capacity is a replacement to the decommissioned Ennore Thermal Power Station, which was generating 450MW every day. In addition to it, Tangedco is also constructing the Ennore Thermal Power Station annex (660Mw capacity), for which environmental clearance (EC) was obtained years ago.

The  plants, after construction would be utilizing the ash pond, close to Ennore creek, which is rich in biodiversity. Environmental activists are up in arms against Tangedco for being aloof to the locals’ plights and exploiting the creek, which is an ecological hotspot filled with mangroves, rivers and canals. Pooja Kumar of Coastal Resource Centre, working on the developmental and environmental issues in the city, said that the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is not holistic.

“EIA takes no consent of the external pollutants. Locals would not be provided any jobs, as Tangedco would reinstate former employees from the decommissioned plant,” said Pooja Kumar.

Reports also show that EIA had underplayed pollution levels in the locality. Nandikesh Sivalingam, a campaigner from Green Peace India, has collected data from the Central Pollution Control Board and analysed it with the EIA’s report, which puts forth glaring truths.

“Data collected from Manali station shows that the PM 2.5 levels were hovering around 60 in September 2015, which is 1.5 times more than the national air quality index.  Tangedco, which did a study in the same month, stated that the levels are 36. This throws a lot of questions on their methods of study,” said Nandikesh Sivalingam.

The fishermen association, deprived of their economic opportunities and health, condemned the public hearing and the project.  Raviramaran R, a fisherman, who has filed a case in National Green Tribunal, against Tangedco bodies polluting the creek, said, “We would not convey our support to the project in the public hearing. We are fishermen, who are dependant on Ennore creek.  It is now filled with fly ash dumped by Tangedco plants. Our health and livelihood is at stake.”

On the other hand, Tangedco officials also admit that the new plant would deteriorate the biodiversity of the region. “Ennore would be an unfit place for survival in other 10years. The plants are a burden to the habitat,” said an official.