Mangalore: Nagarjuna Power Project: Protest and Progress Riding Together
Report by Melka Miyar for Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore
Pics Ganesh Perla and Rons Bantwal
Mangalore, Apr 16: Environment and development are the two conflicting issues which are under debate in the coastal region of Karnataka. Hence the thinkers suggest sustainable development, development without compromising the future perspectives.
Nagarjuna Thermal Power Project, entailing an inlay Rs 4,300 crore intended to be set up at Nandikur in Udupi district is facing strong opposition from the environmentalists. Even though there is protest, Nagarjuna is moving ahead.
The situation having created a lot of confusion, Daijiworld decided to send a team to the site to make an on-the-spot study of the status, so that our readers could get the correct picture amidst conflicting claims from different sides.
The fly-ash and sulphur which will be released to air after burning the coal is a great cause of worry. But Nagarjuna is assuring a pollution-free operation at Nandikur. The officials say that sufficiently advanced technology is available towards eliminating hazardous contents in the fly-ash which is to be adopted in the plant. The company is also planning to get low-ash coal. A chimney about 275 metres in height will be built to release the smoke.
Why coastal area is selected?
The thermal power plant needs a lot of water to cool the power-generating units. Hence, the plant is located near the sea. Nandikur is close to the port. This helps to get the coal, needed to generate power by burning process, imported from Australia, Indonesia and South Africa at low transportation cost. For easy handling of the coal, a captive jetty is to be built at New Mangalore Port.
Tushar Roy and Veena Shetty
Gestation period:
Nagarjuna project has a gestation period of 34 months. Tushar Roy, vice-president of the project, is confident of generating power before the end of 2009. For this purpose, 420 acres of land has been acquired at Nandikur. Fencing work has been completed. At present levelling work is in progress.
Rehabilitation:
For the purpose of rehabilitating the people who have lost their land and houses here, 57 acres of land has been purchased at Tenka. Site allotment will be done soon, says Veena Shetty, PRO of Nagarjuna.
Rehabilitated persons have to build the houses here. But, Nagarjuna will provide the entire infrastructure like electricity, water, shopping complex and school. This could be a far finer township than any of those which other companies may have built in the state for its rehabilitants, Veena opines.
Employment:
The need of technically skilled personnel is higher in this project. By the time it gets ready to generate power, about 250 technically skilled persons will have to be employed. The need for skilled labour will be less, but priority will be given to the requisitely skilled locals while selecting employees, says Tushar Roy.
Power generation: In all, 1015 megawatt power will be generated by this project. Out of this, 90% power will be sold to Karnataka government. KPTCL will set up transmitting lines for this purpose. The remaining power will be transmitted to Punjab, say the officials. Nagarjuna is confident of selling power at a lower rate. It is expected that the rate per unit will not go beyond Rs 2.20 to 2.30.
The people of Karnataka are facing severe problems on account of power shortage. Hence the state is in need of a power-generating unit.
Says Vishwanath Mada, president of Jaya Shrikrishna Parisara Samiti, “Power generation is the basic industry in any country. Without power, no development is possible. At the same time no harm should be caused to the environment. The industry also should maintain transparency in operation and have compassion towards the rehabilitants”.
Without getting carried away by any propaganda from any side, the need of a fair and unbiased assessment of the project by the public, especially the people of Nandikur and adjacent areas, has been felt by the Daijiworld team.
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