CHENNAI: The public hearing for the revised master plan development of Kattupalli Port proposed by Adani-owned Marine Infrastructure Developer Private Limited (MIDPL) has been postponed. The hearing was scheduled to be held on September 5 in Kalanji village.
Tiruvallur collector said several representations were received to conduct public hearings at more than one location so as to enable the public to express their views about the project. “On the basis of the representations, the public hearing stands postponed.
The revised date, time and location for the public hearing will be intimated by the member secretary of Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board in due course,” the release said. Government sources told TNIE that the ruling DMK did not want to take any political risk ahead of the Lok Sabha polls which is six months away, especially when alliance partner Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has been opposing Adani tooth and nail.
“The Kattupalli port expansion project is going to be a political issue in the Lok Sabha elections. So, the DMK government chose to defer the decision on the project at least till the completion of parliamentary elections,” sources said. Also, the Terms of Reference (ToR) issued by the Union environment ministry for Kattupalli Port expires in October and public hearings can’t be conducted after that.
Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd (APSEZ) has proposed to invest Rs 53,031 crore to ramp the Kattupalli port’s capacity from the current 24.65 million tonnes (mt) per annum of cargo to 320 mt. The planned expansion will also make Kattupalli India’s deepest port with an average berth depth of 25m.