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| Environment Ministry opposes port at Poshitara |
| Press Trust of India / New Delhi Aug 04, 2009, 14:05 IST |
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Noting that the proposed port at Poshitra in Jamnagar would destroy crucial marine bio-diversity in the Gulf of Kutch, the Environment Ministry has asked the private developer to look for an alternate site to protect the precious aquatic life.
The Environment Ministry's Standing Committee for National Wildlife Board at its recent meeting also shot down Gujarat Government's proposal to conduct an environmental impact study of the upcoming project stating that a national-level study is already underway for such projects.
"The Minister observed that a study to assess the cumulative impact of all the forthcoming port projects on the Indian coastline is already underway."
"Hence, he was of the view that till the report is received, it would perhaps be not appropriate to consider this proposal. He also advised the project proponents to come up with some alternate sites as well," an official, who was present at the meeting, said.
During the meeting, wildlife experts M K Ranjitsinh and Asad Rahmani who carried out the inspection of the port, said the adjacent Marine National Park at Jamnagar was one of the most important national parks and the proposed project threatens marine bio-diversity.
"It has rare species of corals, sponges, sea anemones, etc. There are about 477 species of molluscans, out of which about 170 are new. Report of endangered mammals like Dugongs have also been reported," Rehmani said at the meeting.
Considering the importance of marine bio-diversity in the area, the inspecting team members felt that Poshitra Port and Marine National Park in the Gulf of Kutch cannot exist together.
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