Rampal, the most controversial coal-fired power plant in the country has been an apple of discord between the green activists and the government of Bangladesh. However, Prof Anu Muhammad pointed to a new dimension of this dissonance claiming that, the power plant will not only destroy the Sundarbans but also may damage the friendly relationship between India and Bangladesh.
Sultana Kamal, convenor of the Sundarban Rokkha Jatiya Committee, urged the youth of the country to join the movements demanding cancellation of the power plant project in a discussion on Rampal arranged at the Bishwa Sahitya Kendra, organised by the Centre for Bangladesh Studies.
She claimed that the destruction process of Sundarbans has already begun. Powerful locals and other profit greedy businessmen are already buying lands at the Sundarbans’s adjacent areas and setting up huge industries there. Rampal project is solely responsible for these activities, she alleged.
Anu Mohammad, the member-secretary of the citizen’s movement platform called National Committee to Protect Oil-Gas-Mineral Resources-Power and Ports said, that the Indian environment scientists have also agreed that the power plant would also harm the Sundarbans, the largest mangrove forest.
Prof Badrul Imam claimed at the discussion that, the experts have been trying to negotiate with the government of Bangladesh on the issues related to Sundarbans and Rampal power plant. The experts alarmed the govt for several times about the possible environmental degradation due to the power plant but they didn’t pay heed to the alarm, claimed Badrul Imam.
The speakers said the government claimed that the power plant is 14kms away from the Sundarbans. But the Pashur River is just beside the power plant and all the polluted water with waste materials will fall into the water body, they said, adding that eventually, the river water will enter the forest spoiling its life and food circle.
They also said around 47 lakh tonnes of coal will be used every year in the plant that will produce around 10 lakh tonnes of ashes, and sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide.
Many experts say although government is claiming they will use supercritical technology during the construction and operation of the power plant to avoid any negative impact on the forest but in reality the release of different chemicals especially the coal fly ash will contain toxic gas, carbon dioxide, arsenic, mercury, lead, cadmium and sulfur will destroy the Sundarban including its eco-system and biodiversity.
The speakers reminded about an allegation that raised against 188 coal-based power plants of the USA that those polluted water during a process to prevent air pollution.