CHENNAI: The authority meeting of Chennai Metropolitan Deveopment Authority (CMDA) had ignored Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board’s (TNPCB) concern over the impact of proposed 660MW Ennore Thermal Power Station (ETPS) expansion on the Tamil Nadu Urban Habitat Development Board (TNUHDB) under-construction slum resettlement houses for over 6,800 families in Ernavur while reclassifying the land use from hazardous zone to residential zone.
According to documents accessed by Express, the TNPCB has written to CMDA highlighting that expansion of ETPS would impact the residential developments. Not only that, even Tangedco has urged that the reclassification should not impact the interest of Tangedco, which would require environment clearance for the ETPS expansion project during the authority meeting.
The authority resolved to reclassify the land claiming the existence of Ennore Thermal Power station staff quarters in the site which was sparsely populated when Express had visited the site. Environmentalists and activists have raised concern over the project claiming it will have an impact on the proposed tenements which are part of Tamil Nadu Housing and Habitat Development Project to transform slums in Chennai, Thiruvallur and Kancheepuram districts along the river margin with proposed World Bank funding assistance.
The 27.35 acres of land in the project is located on the eastern side of Thiruvottiyur High Road just opposite to existing Ennore Thermal Power station and just behind the railway line and 6 km from Ennore Port. Tamil Nadu Urban Habitat Development Board officials said that land has been reclassified, which as per regulation 18 of Second Master Plan falls in Special and Hazardous Zone, as there have been habitations in and around the area.
Noted environmentalist Nityanand Jayaraman, who is part of Save Ennore Creek Campaign, states that, “This shows a discriminatory mindset which ignores warnings of pollution for both the existing community and those who have to be relocated. We want the expansion of the ETPS project not only to be scrapped but the entire area to be cleaned up.”
The southern bench of National Green Tribunal suspended the environmental clearance granted to ETPS expansion project for six months, due to lack of mandatory public hearing. Now activists and North Chennai residents urge the Government to cancel the January 6 public hearing for the power plant, and scrap the project. CMDA officials refused to comment stating that it was cleared by authority three years ago.