HYDERABAD: Scientists For People (SFP), a non-profit group of scientists fighting for environmental rights, has alleged that the consultant of Yadadri Thermal Power Station at Damaracherla of Nalgonda district indulged in “deception through omission” by not including any impacts in the third Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report, and tried to portray the project as a “Clean Development Mechanism” based on faulty emission calculations.
“The report is full of scientific dishonesty,” the SFP observed, demanding the government ensure steps to completely revise the 829-page EIA report, and defer the public hearing scheduled for February 20. The SFP pointed out that the first EIA report was cancelled by an expert committee and the second by the National Green Tribunal for alleged plagiarism.
Speaking to TNIE, former Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT) scientist K Babu Rao, associated with SFP, said that the EIA report mentioned that they have built dry flue stacks (chimneys) of 7.6 m diameter and 275 m height. He said that it is in contravention of the specifications set forth by the Central Electricity Authority in 2017 that the stack height shouldn’t exceed 150 m.
“Due to this invalid input of stack size, the calculations presented in the EIA are also not valid,” Babu Rao said. He said that such faulty designs would have an adverse impact on the wildlife in the Rajiv Gandhi Tiger Reserve.
Babu Rao noted that the coal to be used in the YTPS has been changed from 50% Singareni coal and 50% coal imported from Indonesia in the EIA report. He said that the 50 - 50 adjustment was made because Singareni coal emits more ash. He also said that the coal consumption calculations are erroneous in the present EIA report.
The SFP also expressed concerns over public money being wasted due to a lack of “diligence and integrity” of the consultant of YTPS.