HYDERABAD: A group of retired scientists and academicians from premier research institutes across the country — Scientists for People — has challenged the pre-feasibility report for the proposed chemical industry submitted by the Krishna Godavari Power Utilities Ltd (Wadapally) to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC). The group noted that the report provided false information.
They have also written to the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC), requesting cancellation of the Terms of Reference (ToR) and asked for a fresh Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the proposed sodium dichromate, basic chromium sulphate, and sodium saccharin plants.
Though the study area for the projects comprises parts of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, the scientists noted that the report only includes baseline data from Pondugala village in AP. They also pointed out that Andhra Pradesh had not announced when they would conduct a public hearing on the proposals, as required under the EIA Notification, 2006. The public hearing in Telangana is scheduled on October 10.
In the letter to EAC chairman Prof AB Pandit, the group of scientists stated that the project may employ the process of producing sodium dichromate from chromite ore that was abandoned in the 1950s due to environmental hazards. They expressed concerns over permitting ‘outdated and harmful’ technologies. Wondering how the ToR was issued based on the ‘false’ report, they said there were no details about the authenticity of pollution loads in the appraisal process.
Former chief scientist of the Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT), Hyderabad, Dr K Babu Rao, explained, “Sodium dichromate, a hexavalent chromium compound is used to oxidize O-Toluene sulphonamide to produce saccharin, and is not a by-product of manufacturing sodium saccharin. Sodium dichromate manufacturers are producing sodium saccharin as a downstream product.”
He added that the draft EIA report did not mention the highly hazardous Chromite Ore Processing Residue. “EAC should reconsider issuing clearance to such industries that put the health of millions of people at risk,” he said.