Indo-Bangla power plant: UN raises red flag citing eco concerns in Sundarbans

BENGALURU: Citing concerns over the impact on the World Heritage Site in Sundarbans, including on the Royal Bengal Tiger, the United Nations (UN) has recommended Bangladesh to scrap the proposed 1,320MW thermal power plant in Rampal, and consider another location.
The power plant, named the Maitree Super Thermal Power Project, is a joint venture between India and Bangladesh, costing an estimated $1,680.2 million.It is to be executed by the Bangladesh-India Friendship Power Company Private Limited (BIFPCL).
The UN, in its final report released on Tuesday has recommended stopping of the project, which is located just 65 kilometers from the Sundarbans, stating that it poses a serious threat to the site.
It has identified four core potential threats related to the plant. These are pollution from coal ash by air, pollution from waste water and waste ash, increased shipping and dredging and the cumulative impact of industrial and related development infrastructure.
“The mission considers that air and water pollution have a high likelihood to irreversibly damage the OUV (outstanding universal value) of the World Heritage site. The possible threats arising from the power plant on the OUV of the property are not addressed adequately in the environmental impact assessment (EIA) in line with IUCN’s World Heritage Advice Note on Environmental Assessment,” the report says.
It also points out that the plant itself is not applying the best available technology or the highest international standards for preventing damage commensurate with its location in the near vicinity of a globally unique property.
“The State Party (Bangladesh) must halt all development and any similar proposed development, until an independent, comprehensive and scientifically sound environmental impact assessment (EIA) has been conducted and provided to the World Heritage Centre and the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources for their review and evaluation,” the report reads.
The UN Mission, which visited the proposed site among others in the World Heritage Centre in March 2016 and completed the report in June, notes that its members were unable to meet with Bangladeshi NGOs or civil society during the visit. They could only meet with IUCN-Bangladesh and representatives from WINROCK International (a US-based Organisation).
However, following the visit, “...the mission team consulted a wide range of national and international experts and several NGOs with regard to the state of conservation of the property and the threats or impacts that have the potential to threaten the OUV (outstanding universal value) of the property,” it said.
The UN also sought an independent assessment for the project Orion Power Plant in Khulna and other similar projects Bangladesh is planning in the area.
Indian Tax Payers’ Money
The Export Import Bank of India (EXIM) in addition to existing $2.862 billion worth of line of credits (LOC) to Bangladesh has, in a separate arrangement giving credit to the power plant.
“In addition to the LOCs, Exim Bank is in the process of extending a buyer’s credit of $1.60 billion to Bangladesh India Friendship Power Company (Pvt) Limited (BIFPCL), which is a 50:50 JV of NTPC Ltd and Bangladesh Power Development Board, for financing the 1320 MW Maitree Super Thermal Power Project in Bangladesh,” EXIM said in a statement.
Water & other issues
Concurring with the UN report, environment experts say that not only will the project impact the vegetation in the protected area but will also need a lot of water from surrounding areas. “...The freshwater flow into the Sundarbans has been drastically reduced, resulting in substantial increases in siltation and salinity that are threatening the overall balance of the ecosystem,” the UN report also noted.
Ashok Hallur, founder, Save Tigers Trust, said: “The Bengal Tiger is the pride of both countries and found only in this region and a thermal plant will have adverse effects on its genetics. A thermal plant, in any habitat is not good as it drains water in the area and also releases a lot of toxic.”