Distance between Rampal and Sunderbans
�It�s 4km, not 14�
Environmentalists said yesterday (Friday) that the proposed coal-based Rampal Power Plant is, in effect, only 4km from the Sunderbans, a world heritage site, and not 14km as shown in the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) report on Rampal. They made the observation during launching of the report, Fact-finding mission on Rampal. It was organised by South Asian for Human Rights (SAHR) at the VIP lounge of the National Press Club. Environment activists as well as experts said that 14km is a deception because out of these 14km, 10km is buffer zone, which itself is covered by low-density forest, the fact-finding mission of SAHR discovered.
It means, the effective distance of the project site from the Sunderbans is only 4km, said Dr Abdul Matin, president of Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA). Dr Matin said: Whenever we speak against construction of the Rampal power plant near the Sunderbans, government officials say we are against development and our words are not backed by facts. The study by a renowned organisation like SAHR will prove the government officials wrong, he added. He said the SAHR study was conducted independently and impartially. It found how damaging the project will be for the Sunderbans. He said the government has become desperate for the project without any logical reason.
Echoing Dr Matins concern, Professor Abdullah Abu Sayeed said that by going ahead with the Rampal project, the government is hurting the sentiments of the common people.
If a coal-based power plant were set up at Bangla Motor, will we at the press club be able to breathe fresh air? The Rampal power plant is going to be established at such a distance from the Sunderbans. Any rational person can imagine what will happen to the biodiversity of the mangrove forest.
Anu Muhammad, Professor of Economics at Dhaka University (DU), said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has received the Champions of Earth Award from the United Nation (UN) for her effort in tackling climate change in the country. I think, the award will be a burden for her, if the devastating Rampal power plant project gets a go-ahead during her tenure, he said.
Earlier, taking about the SAHR study, Sharif Jamil, a member of SAHR, said the objective of the fact-finding mission was to evaluate the impact the power plant would have on the livelihood of the people and ecology of the region, examine the legal framework governing its establishment and assess if the proposed power plant would violate any laws.
The mission visited the site of the power plant and the mission members met key state and non-state stakeholders, including villagers, environmentalists, lawyers, academics and human rights defenders.
The mission found the present EIA to be defective on several counts. It found out that extensive dredging of the riverbed and seabed, as well as constant leak of toxins, would damage the ecosystem of Pashur and Maidara rivers, especially the Dhangiri dolphin sanctuary, which is only 8km from the site.
The mission also found out that the due process was not followed in land acquisition and relocation and the compensation paid to land owners has been inadequate, falling short of the standard market price of the equivalent land on the area. In addition, local people and activists protesting against the project have been constantly harassed by powerful quarters through threats, intimidation, assaults and filing of cases, the mission found out.
Sultana Kamal of Ain of Salish Kendra, Dr Iftekharuzzaman of Transparency International Bangladesh, Dr Shamsul Alam of the Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB), Engr Sheikh Shahidullah of the National Committee for Protecting Oil, Gas, Power, Sea-port and Mineral Resources and Khushi Kabir of Nijera Kori also spoke on the occasion.
