Karnataka - Mysore   

‘Chamalapura plant throws norms to the winds’

MYSORE: The agitation against the coal-based Chamalapura thermal power plant has taken a new turn with a citizens’ forum issuing notices to the authorities for “violating” various provisions of the law.

The Association of Concerned and Informed Citizens (ACICM) said that notices had been issued to the Principal Secretary, the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Limited and the Airport Authority of India. It said that it will give them adequate time to respond to the questions.

“In the event of further silence, we will move the court and file a PIL petition”, according to Arun Kumar, advocate and a member of ACICM.

“We highlighted various provisions of the law that have been violated by the State Government at the time of publishing the Expression of Interest (EoI). There are certain parameters for establishing such power plants, as for instance, restrictions on projects of such nature close to national parks, in the outer periphery of a city and near catchment area of rivers. Chamalapura falls within such sensitive regions and hence it is unsuitable”, Mr. Arun Kumar said.

The ACICM would underline the terms and conditions mentioned in the EoI which authorises contractors to “procure environmental clearance from the environment ministry.

The State Government is abdicating its responsibility of ensuring that environmental norms were not violated. It has not bothered to elicit the opinion of the local community comprising people of Mysore and surrounding regions who have been vociferously opposed the project, according to the ACICM.

Apart from submitting various documents and reports of public hearings conducted by the people of Chamalapura and Mysore, the ACICM has also furnished detailed reports of the region and its surroundings renowned for its flora and fauna, heritage and wildlife.

“When environmental clearance for the project was rejected earlier, agriculture was not as well developed. But today the entire valley presents a lush green picture and is agriculturally rich”, ACICM members said.

A major issue towards which the court’s attention will be drawn is that site feasibility study for the project has not been conducted by the Government.

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