Industry & Economy
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Power
Damodar Valley Corp again seekseco clearance for Durgapur plant
Pratim Ranjan Bose
Kolkata
,
June 22
DAMODAR Valley Corporation (DVC) has once again approached the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) for environmental clearance regarding its proposed 1,000 MW thermal power plant at Durgapur.
This is the third attempt on the part of DVC in the last one year to get clearance for the project, which is estimated to cost Rs 4,000 crore.
In November 2004, the MoEF had turned down the original project proposal on the grounds that it would add to existing pollution in the locality. The Ministry had also expressed concern over possible water pollution due to the closeness of the ash pond of the proposed project to Damodar river.
Apart from the existing industries in the area, mushrooming of illegal coal `bhattis' was identified as major contributor to the high level of air pollution in the area.
DVC then approached the West Bengal Pollution Control Board for help. The latter encouraged the corporation to submit a revised proposal to MoEF in early 2005. The effort, however, did not pay as the Centre stuck to its stand on relocating the project.
Accordingly, in May this year, DVC drew up a blueprint for relocating the project away from Durgapur municipal area but within the Durgapur subdivision.
The relocation plan also tackled the problem of ash pond and probable water pollution.
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