This is highly condemnatory that two governments are involved in this blunder of setting up of the coal-fired plant who share the Sundarbans – a national heritage declared by the UNESCO. This UN body is surprisingly ‘silent’ over the issue though the initiative was taken in early 2010.
The green groups and activists are subjected to torture and harassment by the law enforcement agencies and the ruling party goons for protesting the move. The locals are also threatened every now and then.
The environmentalists demand that since we need electricity, the plant could be shifted to another suitable place so that the massive damage of arable land in the project area, river and this largest mangrove forest could be averted.
The governments’ considering cost of transporting imported coal from Mongla port from selecting the location, acquiring land forcibly and violating court order are no way acceptable.
The Bangladesh prime minister during her tour in January that year agreed upon power sector cooperation and other issues, most of which fall short of benefits for Bangladesh. Within months, it offered the Indian government to build two coal-fired power plants near the Mongla.
The governments claim that they would use ‘supercritical technology’ when emission of coal dust and other particals would be minimum and other impacts would be checked too which is irrational.
We demand that the governments apologize for taking the initiative near the Sundarbans and backtrack from its position immediately to respect the constitution, the laws and the Mother Nature!