Power project developers to come under MoEF lens

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Mumbai: Environment and forest minister Jairam Ramesh plans to be tough on the power project developers, who fail to initiate the construction work within five years of obtaining the environment clearance. The ministry (MoEF) will make it mandatory for the developers to undertake another environment impact assessment (EIA) study and seek environmental clearance. This is necessitated as the MoEF has found out that even though environmental clearance was granted to some projects 5 to 8 years ago , the developers had not initiated the project work.

Besides, the MoEF has envisaged that thermal power plants, which involves large investment, the cost of equipment measures required for the envrionment protection should be built in the project cost at the conceptual stage itself as an integral part of the total project cost. The ministry expects power developers to help in maintaining the balance between economic development and environmental integrity.

In case of hydro projects, the MoEF has asked the project authorities to undertake a study to find out the exact requirement of flow during the lean period for maintaining the aquatic life in the river. This is required as series of hydroelectric projects are allotted on a stretch of river which can subsequently result in vanishing of the river in the head race tunnels.

The MoEF, in its communication to the power ministry, had made it clear that the fresh EIA and environment clearance are both required as it is likely that during the elapsed period, the number of other developmental activities would have taken place in the region.

MoEF sources told FE, “Thermal power plants have the potential of creating environmental pollution if environmental issues are not handled properly. Project developers need to commence project work well within the stipulated timeframe. They should use super critical technology instead of sub critical technology, use pulverised coal fired boilers, use beneficiated coal to avoid operation and maintenance problems/outages of units as also to reduce cost on transportation.” Besides, it will be mandatory for power developers to upload the environment compliance statutes in their websites in addition to inform it to MoEF, central and state pollution control boards.