Rampal power plant and saving of the Sunderbans
The pdb indeed
has made an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) study, but this study was done after the government took its final decision to establish the plant. But according to the team of experts who recently went to the plant site areas there is lack of information and mistakes in the EIA report of the PDB
For the protection of the Sunderbans, the work for constructing a power plant at Rampal needs to be halted immediately after taking into due consideration all the reasons for making such a move. Ours is a power-starved country and for meeting development goals we need more power. There is no doubt about this. But this does not necessarily mean that we have to go for power production very aggressively by establishing a coal-based power plant at Rampal inviting great risks to our environment.
Environmentally speaking coal as fuel for a power station is risky because it emits poisonous carbon dioxide, nitrogen and sulphur. The liquid wastes from a power plant and the gases can potentially cause great harm to the nearby Sunderbans which is so important for the country in the environmental sense.
It is very important to remember here that Bangladesh is one of the most vulnerable countries of the world to the impact of climate change. Sunderbans, the worlds largest mangrove forest, a UNESCO heritage site, indeed acts in protecting the ecology of different areas in many ways in the southern part of the country. If the power plant harms the forest, it would harm the country and with it, our existence.
Therefore, the UNESCO, many environmental organisations and experts have justifiably called for stopping the ongoing work for the plant. The PDB indeed has made an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) study, but this study was done after the government took its final decision to establish the plant.
But according to the team of experts who recently went to the plant site areas at the invitation of PDB there is lack of information and mistakes in the EIA report of the PDB. The experts included a BUET professor, Dr Izaz Ahmed, secretary of Bangladesh Paribesh Andolon, Dr Abdul Matin, executive director of Transperancy International Bangladesh, Dr Iftekharuzzaman, former director of Petrobangla Makbul-e-Elahi and others.
There is now a demand for a new and comprehensive EIA study on the proposed plant from the concerned people. Therefore, the ongoing work for establishing the plant has to be immediately stopped until all the pros and cons of the impact of the plant on the Sunderbans are thoroughly assessed and presented both before the national and international experts. If they find it okay, there is no problem to have this plant at Rampal.
Make no mistake: the flora and fauna of the mangrove forest is very important for our survival. If we really need a coal-based plant for power generation we can very well choose a different site that would not harm this forest.
