A jetty planned adjacent to the proposed 9,900 MW Jaitapur Nuclear Power Plant (JNPP) in the coastal Ratnagiri district is at the centre of another controversy dogging this project, billed as the world’s largest.
The Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), in a letter dated January 16, to Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) pointed out that the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) report for the project was prepared by an agency accused of plagiarism and which had been suspended for a brief period. The letter also says that the proposed jetty violates the conditions stipulated in the clearance for the JNPP.
Log Ports Private Limited has proposed to develop a jetty at Nate village in Rajapur Taluka of Ratnagiri for captive and third party cargo in phases. In Phase I, the handling capacity of cargo is 5.0 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) which will touch 10.0 MTPA during Phase II. The estimated initial project cost is ₹135 crores excluding the cost of land. Bhagavati Ana Labs Pvt Ltd was assigned to prepare an EIA for the project.
In his letter, accessed by The Hindu, BNHS director Deepak Apte, said that the proposed captive jetty is against the very principal of JNPP clearance. “A 10000 MW nuclear power plant on one side and 10.0 MTPA capacity captive jetty on another, the Ambolgadh region with its extremely rich and coastal, marine and plateau biodiversity will not only destroy biodiversity but will also destroy near shore fisheries or artisanal and traditional fishers. Considering that basic requirements of ToR are not fulfilled and thus, warrant to be rejected outrightly, making public hearing untenable,” said the letter.
The public hearing is scheduled for January 19 and despite State Environment Minister Ramdas Kadam also writing to the Ratnagiri District Collector, Sunil Chavan, referring to the BNHS feedback, has not been cancelled. When contacted, Mr. Chavan told The Hindu on phone, “I have the letter from the minister but we have to go ahead with the hearing. I cannot tell you more than this.”
The JNPP clearance letter categorically states that the coastal region is ecologically sensitive and Ambolgadh and Kasheli coastal areas are important for biodiversity.
“The clearance also stated to take appropriate safeguard measures for its conservation,” said the letter, mentioning the BNHS study which identified Ambolgadh and Vyete areas as priority areas for marine and coastal biodiversity conservation. The letter pointed out Terms of Reference (ToR) requiring detailed marine, riparian and creek biodiversity assessment report and management plan. “This basic condition of ToR is not compiled. Thus public hearing is meaningless,” it said.
In his letter, Dr. Apte has pointed out that the said establishment “has been given strict warning regarding preparing the EIA using plagiarised data by National Accreditation Board for Education and Training (NABET) and also their accreditation was suspended from June 15, 2018 to December 15, 2018. This proves that the said consultant is not credible to carry out such research studies.”