CHENNAI: TANGEDCO has written to the Union Environment Ministry seeking to amend the environment clearance granted to the 2x800 MW Upper thermal power station in order to cut down legal options for protesting groups. TANGEDCO wanted one of the key environmental conditions to be removed. There is a specific clause No.44 in the EC imposed by the Environment Ministry, which says, “No waterbodies including natural drainage system shall be disturbed due to activities associated with the setting up/operations of the plant”.
In a letter dated August 13, a copy of which is available with Express, TANGEDCO chief engineer K Subash Chandra Bose asked the Director of Impact Assessment of Environment Ministry to remove the Clause 44, saying it was only a general condition liable to misinterpretation. The TANGEDCO contention is that protesting groups are using this clause to derail the project. A writ petition was filed in the Madras HC in December, 2017 by Anaithu Vivasayigal Paadhukappu Nala Sangam, saying the plant was coming up on surplus water outlet channel and hence they prayed to the court to prevent TANGEDCO from putting up any construction over the waterbodies. The court asked the Environment Ministry to file status report on the outflow of surplus water from Naganendal big tank to the sea via the Valamavoor tank, through the project site.
The activists claim that the project would affect the marine life. They say the coast is the home for dugong (sea cow), a critically endangered species and the only existing herbivorous mammal that lives exclusively in the sea in India. As per the dugong census between 2007 and 2009, approximately 77-158 individuals were available in the Gulf of Mannar and Palk Bay, which are not too far way from project site.
The Wildlife Institute of India has conducted a census in Palk Bay and Gulf of Mannar, whose results will be released in 2020. More dugongs were identified in Kilakarai, Thondi and Nambuthalai shore.