The Hindu Business Line : Withdraw from Dhamra, Greenpeace tells Tata Steel

It has also alleged that there were "serious shortcomings" in the environmental impact assessment (EIA) for the port, which is coming up in Bhadrakh district of Orissa. Tata Steel and L&T are jointly developing the port.

The Greenpeace-commissioned study, led by Dr S.K. Dutta, Zoologist of North Orissa University, says it has found evidence of the presence of Olive Ridley turtles, as well as other rare species of fauna in and around the port site.

Mr Ashish Fernandes, Oceans Campaigner with Greenpeace, said at a news conference on Friday that although the site is less than 5 k.m. from the Bhitarkanika Sanctuary, the country's second largest mangrove forest, and less than 15 k.m. from the Gahirmatha nesting beaches, the world's largest mass nesting site for Olive Ridley sea turtles, Tata Steel had claimed that the port will have no impact on the turtles.

Dead turtles

Dr Dutta said that the findings shatter the theory that Dhamra is a no-turtle zone. Even though it is not a turtle nesting ground, over the course of the study, 2,000 dead turtles were found, as they fell victims of mechanised fishing on the port site and in nearby areas like Kanika Sands.

Situated between Haldia and Paradeep, Dhamra will entail an investment of over Rs 1,500 crore. It will help Tata Steel export its steel and import coal for its inland plants.

Mr Fernandes said that the EIA considered the port site on Kanika sands but the site was now being developed on the mainland; and that the EIA, therefore, is fundamentally flawed. The EIA mentions 12 million tonnes (mt) of dredging required for setting up the port, but due to the shift in the location the area would require 83 mt of dredging for setting up the port. Dredging on such a massive scale would disturb the marine habitat, he said.

Tata Steel said it was studying the allegations with its joint venture partner and that it would respond to the issues raised in due course.

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