Activist calls for action against Vijayawada thermal power plant

Visakhapatnam: Eminent social activist and former IAS officer EAS Sarma has urged Andhra Production Pollution Board (APPCB) to probe into air and water pollution being caused by the Dr NTR Thermal Power Corporation at Ibrahimpatnam near Vijayawada and take immediate remedial action.

In a representation to Sameer Sharma, APPCB Chairman, the former Government of India Secretary, stated that he had earlier brought to his attention numerous complaints by the pollution-sufferers on their plight at villages adjacent to Dr NTR Thermal Power Station, he said there were violations committed by the power station in the past regarding emission norms stipulated by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and APPCB, none of them had taken any meaningful action, allowing the power plant officials to run the plant without public accountability.

He pointed out that “the Union Ministry of Environment, while issuing statutory Environment Clearance (EC) for Stage V of the DR NTR Thermal Power Project vide its communications F.No.J-13012/26/2012-IA-III(T) dated 26-6-2015 & 11-4-2019, clearly stipulated that the power station authorities should raise a Green Belt in over 70 acres around the power station to absorb air-related toxic emissions, monitor surface and groundwater sources for heavy metal/ sulphur contamination, monitor the radioactive and heavy metal content of the coal used and so on. I find that none of those conditions has been complied with by APGENCO.”

Sarma said, “If the Environment Ministry had any respect for its own statutory clearance, it ought to have issued a show-cause notice to APGENCO proposing revocation of the clearance. APPCB likewise ought to have proposed that the Consent for Establishment (CFE) and Consent for Operation (CFO) issued Stage V of the power station would be revoked as both CFE and CFO would also have similar stipulations.”