NGT issues notice to challenge Khurja thermal power plant in UP, seeks report before 8 August

New Delhi: An NGO on Thursday moved the National Green Tribunal challenging the environment clearance granted to 1,320 MW coal-based super critical Khurja Thermal Power Project in Uttar Pradesh, prompting the green panel to seek a response from the Centre. A bench headed by NGT chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar issued notices to the ministry of environment and forests, UP Pollution Control Board and THDC India Ltd while seeking their response before 8 August, the next date of hearing. [caption id=“attachment_68657” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Representational image. Reuters[/caption] The tribunal was hearing a plea filed by an NGO SAFE seeking quashing of the environmental clearance granted to the Rs 9,747.5 crore project in Bulandshahr district which is to be implemented by state-run THDC India Ltd (THDCIL) and the UP government. The petition alleged that the the coal-fired power plant has been approved without any consideration of the environmental and social implication of establishing such a polluting activity in an area which is already highly polluted and water stressed. It has also sought a temporary prohibition on new proposals for thermal power plants within 300 km of Delhi till there is a decline in the levels of pollution. The plea, filed through advocates Ritwick Dutta and Rahul Choudhary, said the draft Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report on the project was submitted on 30 March, 2013 and the public hearing was conducted on 1 August, 2015 that was ovber two years after the submission of the EIA report. “It is pertinent to point out that as per the provision of the EIA Notification, 2006, the date, time and venue of the public hearing should be finalised within a period of seven days from the receipt of the draft EIA Report,” the plea said. The proposal is for setting up of two units of 660 MW and the power generated from the project will be evacuated through 400 KV transmission systems by power grid corporation Ltd. About 1,400 acres of land is required for the project, of which 1,200 acres has already been acquired. The coal requirement would be 5.4 million tonnes per annum which will be sourced from the Madhya Pradesh State Mining Corporation. A total population of 4,171 will be affected from five villages due to the project activities. Khurja Super Thermal Power Station in Bulandshahr district is one such station being set up for supply of power to the beneficiaries of northern region and Uttar Pradesh.