The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has submitted a report before the National Green Tribunal stating that there is gross inadequacy of space inside the Propylene Derivative Petrochemical Project (PDPP) unit of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) at Ambalamugal here to develop a 200-metre-wide green belt as assured in the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) report.
The CPCB report was submitted before the Southern Bench on March 9 in a case related to complaints by local residents that the site lacked proper green belt and buffer zone, especially on the southern side (Kakkad Kara).
“There are restrictions like overhead, high-tension power lines on the southern side of the project site (Kakkad Kara) which may hinder the development of green belt owing to safety reasons. Moreover, the BPCL officials are highlighting that the safety criteria adopted in petrochemical unit is in conflict with green belt development, which gives rise to the apprehension that the space available is inadequate to comply with safety distance criteria and green belt requirement,” stated the report submitted by S. Suresh, Regional Director of the CPCB (South).
The official had inspected the project site on December 29 along with officials of the State Pollution Control Board, and had interacted with local residents. As per the Environmental Clearance dated May 12, 2015, it is obligatory to develop green belt in at least 40 acres of land in and around the plant premises to mitigate the effects of fugitive emissions all around the plant as per the CPCB guidelines, it said.
Company statement
A spokesperson of the company said that the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change had issued Environment Clearance (EC) for the PDPP project only after scrutiny of the recommendations of the EIA report, Rapid Risk Analysis (RRA) report and public hearing.
The EC and EIA Report had clearly recommended 40 acres of green belt in and around the project site. The compliance status report of the requirement has been submitted to the ministry. The regional office of the ministry in Bengaluru has physically verified the status of the EC clearance conditions. The quoted CPCB submission before the NGT was prepared prior to the physical verification of the green belt, according to the official.
