The Mamata Banerjee government on Friday scrapped the proposed petroleum, chemicals and petrochemicals investment region (PCPIR) at Nayachar in East Midnapore district, citing environmental reasons. While in the Opposition, the Trinamool Congress had opposed the Nayachar project vociferously.
The government had announced that it would not allow a nuclear power plant at Haripur. Today, it said it was cancelling the setting up of the PCPIR.
Announcing this in the Assembly, industry minister Partha Chatterjee said the government would not allow a chemical hub in the state because of the danger of air and land pollution and threat to the livelihood of fishermen.
The PCPIR was proposed to be set up at Nayachar by the erstwhile Left Front government after fierce resistance at Nandigram where it was originally planned. The island, however, came under the coastal regulation zone where industries were not permitted under the environment rules. The chemical hub at Nayachar was planned to have been set up as a joint venture of the West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation Ltd and New Kolkata International Development (NKID). The IOC was to be the anchor investor there. The NKID comprised three companies including the Salim Group of Indonesia. Chatterjee said that Nayachar would be developed for eco-tourism.