The Kattupallikuppam Fishers Association in Tamil Nadu’s Thiruvallur district has flagged multiple inconsistencies in the Chennai Power Generation Limited’s (CPGL) proposal to set up a Regassified Liquified Natural Gas (RLNG) plant in the village of Kattupalli. In their representation to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), dated October 10, the fishing community alleged that the project has not acknowledged the presence of two villages near the proposed site and has presented false information, concealing vital details that could have severe environmental implications.
In their representation, the community further mentioned that the CPGL has cited the distance between the Kosasthalaiyar river and the proposed project site to be 115 metres when in reality, the river is only 60 metres away from the site. The proposal also claimed that the Government Primary School in Kalanji village is located 210 metres away from the site, but the community pointed out that the school is only 20 metres away.
The representation cites that the proposal, submitted on September 10 by CPGL, has also failed to acknowledge the presence of two villages – Kattupallikuppam and Kalanji, and has not provided vital infrastructure-based information such as where pipelines will be laid to transport desalinated water to the project site and so on. The fishers fear that not knowing such key details does not allow them to have a complete idea of the plant’s implications.
The community representation also says that the proposal had falsely mentioned that there are no sanctuaries or Ecologically Sensitive Zones within a radius of 10Kms from the proposed site since the Pulicat Bird Sanctuary is only 7 km away and the entire project falls within the Eco-Sensitive Zone. It also rubbished the claim that there are no archaeological monuments within a 10 km radius, citing that the Dutch cemetery in Pulicat lies within a 7 km radius.
Based on this representation, the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC), set up under the MoEFCC to assess the environmental impacts of industrial projects and activities, deferred approval for the project in November and ordered a field visit to ascertain the facts. The CPGL has also been asked to detail their responses, addressing each claim of inconsistency made by the villagers, with supporting documentation to prove their claims.
The EAC has further recommended an Environmental Impact Assessment to understand the plant’s potential impact on marine life and has also asked for an aquatic/terrestrial biodiversity study.