Anisul Islam Noor :
Environmentalists and energy experts have suggested the government to conduct a fresh environmental impact assessment (EIA) on the proposed 1320MWBangladesh-India Friendship Power Company Limited (BIFPCL) at Rampal near the Sundarbans to properly assess different aspects of the mega project. They gave the suggestions after a visit to the project site and adjacent areas on last Thursday. During the visit, the experts expressed concern over coal handling and other relevant issues and suggested to halt the project until a fresh EIA is conducted.
BIFPCL, the implementation agency of the project, arranged the field trip hoping to get positive feedback from the experts regarding the mega power project, which has already created controversy for potential environmental threats to the world’s largest mangrove forest.
The experts included Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA) General Secretary Dr Mohd Abdul Matin, BAPA Joint-Secretary Sharif Jamil and Prof Shamsul Alam of Consumer Association of Bangladesh, among others.
They experts observed that the proposed plant had already resulted in unplanned urbanisation and industrialisation, posing a threat to the biodiversity of the Sundarbans. Prof Shamsul Alam recommended for conducting the EIA by a third-party team comprising local and international experts. “The Sundarbans suffered a lot for public and private projects so far and the 1320 Rampal power project would accelerate it,” he said.Demanding a public hearing on the project, he, however, praised the government’s move to invite the experts to visit the project site and discuss their concerns with the project authorities. “We are not getting any substantial information regarding our concerns,” Sharif Jamil told journalists during the visit. Prof Shamsul Alam said, the BIFPCL obtained EIA clearance from the department of environment (DoE) without assessing the impacts of coal handling at Hiron Point and Akram Point of the Pasur River. “This is not acceptable,” he said.
Executive Director of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) Dr Iftekharuzzaman also praised the government’s move to hold discussions with the critics regarding the proposed project.
Bangladesh Power Development Board chairman said the Rampal project would be implemented after addressing all environmental concerns.
