Cogentrix Fails To Submit Ecological Impact Report

The Mangalore Power Company (MPC)s plan to set up a power plant in the state has run into rough weather following its failure to meet the deadline for submitting the comprehensive environment impact assessment (EIA) to the environment ministry.

Confirming that the MPC, a joint venture between Cogentrix of US and China Light and Power of Hong Kong, has not met the deadline for submitting the assessment, Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) chairman B Shivalingaiah told Business Standard, They have not submitted the report, though the deadline expired on June 11. But, the company has written to us explaining the reasons for the delay.

The assessment is a study of the proposed units short- and long-term environmental impact on its surroundings. The environment ministry had set a one-year deadline for submission of this report while clearing the project on June 11 last year.

MPC now stands to lose the environmental clearance if it fails to comply with this condition, according to a 1994 ministry notification and the Environment Protection Act, 1986.

The assessment has also been a long-standing demand of the environmental activists who fear that the 1,000 mw coal-based thermal unit will have a disastrous effect on the environment of the ecologically sensitive Western Ghats.

On its part, the MPC has blamed various litigations pending against them for the delay. One of the major cases has been filed over the environmental clearance given to them. This case is still awaiting the Karnataka High Courts judgement. According to sources in the energy department, the fate of the project hinges on this judgement.

The state pollution control board chairman also pointed out that Tata Consultancy services, hired to conduct the study, were hampered by the opposition the residents. The people of the area do not allow them to do any monitoring, Shivalingaiah said. But, whatever reasons, the company has failed to submit the report, and the project will not get its final approval.