The Hindu

Udupi, Jan 17: Manorama Madhwaraj, MP, on Tuesday rejected the Chief Minister's proposal for inspection of power plants at Dahanu and Vishakhapatnam.

Addressing presspersons here, Madhwaraj said that experts from National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) had reported to the Supreme Court that Dahanu plant had affected the environment. The Court had issued directions to the owners of the plant to install Flue Gas Desulphurisation plant immediately.Where was the question of common people studying the impact of the plant, she asked.

The NEERI, under the orders of the Supreme Court, conducted the study in Udupi where the Government proposes to set up a thermal power plant. The institute had reported that a thermal project was not suitable in this highly sensitive region even with FGD, she said.

The State of Environment Report, prepared in 2003, had insisted that the coastal region was ecologically sensitive, and no pollutant project should be cleared for the region without making a study of the region's "carrying capacity", she said.

The Danish International Development Agency report had said that pollutant projects in this area were not sustainable, she said.

Madhwaraj said she would not participate in any such proposed tours. The Chief Minister could order the study of "carrying capacity" and arrive at a definite conclusion whether the project was viable instead of asking people to go study tours, she said.