THERMAL POWER PLANTS & LIVELIHOODS

DEAR AND SISTERS

Do you find any connection between environmental sustainability and livelihoods of the poor and marginalized people?

Here is one revealing recent incident. In Srikakumal District of Andhra Pradesh State (India), permission was allegedly granted by the Govt. of AP for East Coast Thermal Power station at Kakarapalli (v), although environmental clearances were not issued by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, GoI.

The company for which the licence was given has begun preparations for commencing the construction of the Power plant.

Meanwhile, the local villagers (mostly farmers) and fishermen along the coast have mobilized themselves and protested through relay hunger strike for 128 days against commencement of the work much against the wishes of the district administration, powerful politicians and the company.

On the day of entry of machinery for commencing construction by the company, the striking villagers and fishermen were disturbed from their hunger strike by the police and a scuffle took place between them.

Subsequently, at Vadlatandra, a nearby village, there was altercation between the agitators and the police and the police resorted to lathicharge, teargas shells and ultimately to rubber bullets. This ultimately resulted in the death of two innocent villagers.

The reason for the protests by the villagers was that the farmers will be suffering huge losses to their crops due to deposition of fly ash and the consequent drop in fertility of the field. Similarly, the fishermen were fearing for the drop in fish catch due to pollution from the proposed thermal power plant, which will lead to death of fish and other aquatic organisms.

Thus, there is a direct connection between thermal power stations and environmental sustainability by way of increased green house gas emission, and more so, adverse effect on crop yields and death of marine organisms, leading to lack of livelihoods for the surrounding population.

See how a pathetic the situation would be when thousands of villagers will be deprived of their livelihoods through establishing a thermal power plant (which is not environment friendly like a wind or solar power plant).

Thus friends, the human right of the villagers to life and to livelihood is denied by the policy of the Government.

The Union Minister of Environment and Forests, Mr Jairam Ramesh has instructed to stop construction, saying that environmental clearances were not issued to the proposed thermal power plant.

It is time we civil society exert enough pressure on the Govt. to protect the rights of the poor, vulnerable and marginalized communities to their right to life, property and livelihoods by reviewing the license given to the company and to allow the rule of law to prevail as per the Constitution of India.

GK Rao