Genco's revised Yadadri report flawed: Activists

HYDERABAD: After being charged with plagiarism in the preparation of the all-important environment impact assessment (EIA) report on the 5 x 800 mw Yadadri thermal power project in

Nalgonda

district, the Telangana

Genco

has submitted a revised EIA seeking environment clearance for the mega plant.

The revised EIA report too is flawed and deficient, alleged environmental activists. They pointed out that though 30 per cent of the affected area falls under the territory of the neighbouring state of Andhra Pradesh, the Telangana Genco did not bother to prepare an EIA report for these villages.

Last year, the Telangana Genco submitted an EIA report to the Environment Assessment Committee (thermal projects) but green activists accused the power generation corporation of “extensive plagiarism“. They alleged that Genco had simply lifted paragraphs from earlier EIA reports conducted by others and declared them as those of Yadadri project. Following the objections, a revised EIA report was submitted recently .

Green activists have now submitted their queries and comments to the regional office of the

Telangana State Pollution Control Board

in Nalgonda on the revised EIA, alleging that the new report has been uploaded in image format to “deny people the opportunity to check the integrity of the report“.

“The revised report is no better than the previous one. Fluegas desulfurisation method adopted in thermal power plants adds substantial amount of water vapour to gasses sent out of chimney (flue). The report is silent on whether adequate water is available in the river Krishna during lean season without risking minimum environmental flows,“ said senior scientist Dr

K Babu Rao

.

In a report submitted to the EAC, Dr Babu Rao, who is also an environmental activist, demanded that the Genco should give an undertaking that its new report is not plagiarised. Activists alleged that there is no mention of the harmful impact of the thermal plant on public health, animal health and agriculture in the report. The details on occupational health issues are “sketchy“. The plant will utilise water that is sufficient to irrigate about 60,000 acres per year.