Adani project in Mundra has violated environmental norms, rules MoEF committee

 incontrovertible evidence of destruction of mangroves, blocking of creeks and non-compliance of other clearance conditions

Committee recommends effective deterrence through creation of Environment Restoration Fund of Rs 200 crore or 1 per cent of total investment, whichever is higher

Recommends reform of Coastal Zone Regulations and monitoring systems

New Delhi, April 18, 2013:There is incontrovertible evidence that the Adani project – port and SEZ – at Mundra in Gujarat has violated and not complied with environmental clearance conditions. The company has also bypassed environmental procedures in certain cases – says the report of a committee set up by the Union ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) to inspect the project. The committee’s report was officially presented to the Union minister of state for environment and forests, Jayanthi Natarajan, here today.

The Adani Waterfront and Power Plant project has been in the eye of the storm for its massive adverse ecological impacts. Based on complaints received, the MoEF had set up the Committee to examine allegations of environmental destruction and non-compliance, including distortion of the original HTL/LTL by the company. The five-member committee, headed by environmentalist Sunita Narain, included officials from the MoEF and experts on coastal ecosystems and disaster management. 

Ms Natarajan received the report and assured that the recommendations would be looked into by her officials.

The Committee used remote sensing technology to assess environmental damage that had occurred over the past decade. It concluded that there were cases of non-compliance, including the following:

• There has been widespread destruction of mangroves; 75 hectares of mangroves have been lost in Bocha Island, which was declared as a conservation zone under the environmental clearance conditions.
• The company has not taken precautions to guard against blocking of creeks because of construction activities; satellite imagery shows signs of deterioration and loss of creeks near the proposed North Port. 
• The company has not taken stipulated measures to ensure that the channels that bring large volumes of seawater for use in the thermal power plant and then discharge as well as the storage tank is lined so that there is no chance of salinity contamination in groundwater. This was a clear condition set at the time of clearance.
• The company was found to be wanting about the inventory of its fly ash utilisation and disposal.
• The company has been less than serious about reporting on compliance with the conditions set at the time of clearance. In many cases, non-compliance with reporting conditions has been observed.

Says Narain: “The Committee in its investigations has found that there have been instances to circumvent statutory procedures by using different agencies, at the Centre and state, for obtaining clearances for the same project. The public hearing procedure, which is a critical part of project clearance and helps to understand and mitigate the concerns of local people, has also been bypassed on one pretext or another.”

The fisher community, which depends on the coasts for their livelihood, is the worst hit by these changes. “The development on the coast, on their land has clearly left little space for them,” says Narain. The report of the Committee suggests that there should be a plan for their ensuring access and provision of basic facilities, including a dedicated fishing harbor.

Key recommendations

• The ministry should create an Environment Restoration Fund, which should be 1 per cent of the project cost (including the cost of the thermal power plant) or Rs 200 crore, whichever is higher. The Fund should be used for remediation of environmental damage in Mundra and for strengthening the regulatory and monitoring systems.
• Cancel environmental clearance of the North Port – this will lead to an increase in the mangrove conservation area and ensure ecological balance in this coastal zone.

In addition, the committee has also made a range of recommendations on mangrove conservation, flyash management and disposal, salinity control, coastal safety (read earthquakes and tsunamis), and project clearance conditions and post-clearance monitoring. In fact, the committee’s report notes that post-clearance monitoring is the weakest area, and needs urgent strengthening. Says Narain: “If monitoring was rigorous, public and credible, there would have been no need for this committee. Which is why we have recommended that there is a need to create a monitoring system to ensure that corrective action suggested by this report is taken within a time-bound manner.”

http://www.cseindia.org/content/adani-project-mundra-has-violated-environmental-norms-rules-moef-committee

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-04-19/india/38673013_1_mundra-project-adani-group-new-delhi

http://cseindia.org/userfiles/adani_final_report.pdf

http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/newdelhi/rs-200cr-fine-on-adani-group-recommended/article1-1046522.aspx

http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/gujarat-based-adani-group-fined-200-crore-for-environmental-damage-413610

http://www.sustainuance.com/adani-group-faces-fine-for-environmental-damage/

http://inagist.com/all/375104630499196928/

http://www.trinet.in/?q=node/1178

http://www.moneycontrol.com/news/business/adani-project-violated-norms-impose-rs-200cr-fine-panel_855348.html

http://www.firstpost.com/business/adanis-mundra-project-violated-green-norms-says-probe-panel-710950.html

http://currentaffairs.gktoday.in/2013/09/moe-slaps-rs-200-crore-penalty-adani-group-8584/

http://www.businessworld.in/news/business/environment/adani-project-violated-norms-panel/864337/page-1.html

http://www.abhiyaanmagazine.com/index.php/sambhaavmetro/85-slide/23246-adani-story-01

Inspection committee to visit Kutch this month end

Saeed Khan, TNN Oct 19, 2012, 07.00PM IST

AHMEDABAD: The inspection of Adani Power Ltd (APL) and Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ) by a special committee of Ministry of Environment and Forest is likely to begin in Kutch from October 29.

A five-member team headed by Sunita Narain was formed by the ministry last month after allegations of violation of environmental and coastal regulatory zone (CRZ) norms were leveled against these two companies by a local fishermen's association - Machhimar Adhikar Sangharsh Sangathan (MASS) and another NGO named Kheti Vikas Sewa Trust (KVST).

According to Bharat Patel from MASS, the team is scheduled to visit Kutch by the end of this month for inspection.

While forming the committee the ministry had also taken into consideration directions issued for the APSEZ by the Gujarat high court order on a PIL filed by KVST. The committee's task includes examination of allegations regarding distortion of original high tide line through bunding/diversion/blocking of creek and reclamation, and whether construction of Mundra Port, roads, railway was taken up prior to grant of environmental clearance.

The committee has a mandate to check whether companies have complied with conditions laid down while granting environment clearance. It is also likely to assess an impact on agriculture following salinity ingress.

The ministry had granted environment and CRZ clearance on January 12, 2009 to APSEZ for the development of port facilities at Mundra, however, similar clearance for the SEZ was still awaited.

MASS Padyatra

Machimar Adhikar Sangharsh Sangathan

Address: At & Post Bhadreshwar, Ta: Mundra, Kutch – 370411

Email: mass.kutch@gmail.com Phone: 9426469803 Website: http://masskutch.blogspot.com

Reference Date August 4, 2011

Press

Release

Concluding their historic journey in Bhuj today over 5000 fisher folk, salt pan workers, pastoralists, and farmers from several villages in Mundra Taluk submitted a memorandum to the collector’s office today. United under the banner “Save the sea, save the land, save the environment” the fisher folk and farmers were protesting the destruction of their livelihood by power plants in the area constructed by industrial giants such as Adani and TATA. They beg

an their historic padyatra from Bhadreshwar yesterday and were joined by Punamben Madam, BJP MLA Mahua Dr. Kanubhai Kalsaria and Local Leader Kiritsinh Jadeja , Husen Kara, Amd Elias Majaliya also present at the inauguration of the padyatra spoke passionately about the needs of fisher folks and salt pan workers. The Padyatra stopped at Kera gaam and spent the night with lively songs, slogans, and speeches on their efforts to save their livelihood. Leaving early next morning the yatra reached Bhuj mid day to be joined by more people in support and solidarity of the movement.

The padyatra was initiated by the threat of destruction of bhanders (where fisher folk live during the 9 months fishing season) by the British based OPG power plant and the KPGL power plant (Kutch Power Generation Limited). The two power plants have severely curtained the fisher folk’s access to the sea as well as destroying their fish yield as a consequence of the outlet channels. The energetic gathering which included women and children bearing signs and slogans highlighted issues that have threatened their livelihood for the past several years.

The 31 point memorandum that was submitted to the collector’s office detailed the adverse impact on the lives of all these communities by companies such as ADANI Mundra Port and SEZ, KPGL, OPG and TATA power plants. The memorandum states that in Bhadreshwar the lives of over 6000 fisher folks are at stake should the OPG plant come up. In addition, the livelihood of 5000 salt-pan workers and 7000 farmers and Maldharis, who depend on the Gauchar land of the village and on farming, is also threatened by the OPG power plant. Mega Ports, SEZs, power plants, desalination plants are concentrated on the coastline between Bhadreshwar and Mandvi which has been declared ecologically sensitive and is the home of traditional communities involved in fishing, salt making, agriculture and animal husbandry. According to the study conducted by the Institute of Ocean Management, Anna University, Chennai the coastal strip from Luni to Vandi is especially susceptible to erosion, and should the power plants be established the area will suffer irretrievable damage. The Mundra coastline is unique for its mangrove forests which is a delicate ecological system that harbours crustacean and other protected species and provides a natural defence against cyclones. However since 1998, 3000 hectares of mangrove forests have been illegally destroyed by Adani group. In spite of media attention and ministry’s assurances that action will be taken, no action has been taken so far and the destruction of mangroves continues till date.

Furthermore, recognizing the severe problem of fresh water shortage in the area, the Government of Gujarat has already spent the sum of Rs. 8 crores on the area between the OPG Power Project and KPGL Power Ltd in order to create bunds to prevent salinity by conserving rain-water. However the power projects will render the effort a failure.

People fear that the Gulf of Kutch has exceeded its carrying capacity due to indiscriminate industrial expansion on either side. However the government has no study of the combined impact of the effluent discharged by all the industries and approves every project by examining each project individually. In the interests of the communities that survive on the natural resources of the Gulf of Kutch, It is imperative to understand the cumulative impact of all the industries to ensure that the ecology of the Gulf of Kutch is not irreversibly damaged and destroyed.

In addition to the destruction of the marine environment, land in Mundra has been severely affected. The corrosive smoke discharges from coal burning in the power plans have already caused extensive damage to salt pans, which is a major occupation in the area (Kutch produces nearly 70% of Gujarat’s salt production). Salt is gathered for drying onto flats, because of the smoke discharge, the top layer of the salt turns black and affects the quality. Efforts to maintain quality by removing the entire top layer results in a significant loss in weight to the output of salt pan workers who are finding it increasingly hard to eke out a living. The smoke discharge has also had an adverse impact on fisher folk who dry their fish on lines before it goes to the market. Similar to the salt, the smoke discharge sticks to the drying fish affecting their quality and making them unsuitable for consumption. While smoke stacks cause damage to the salt pans, the intake and output lines to cool the power plants have resulted in increasing the salinity of the ground water in several villages. For instance 1600 hectares of chikoo, coconut and date farms have been destroyed as consequence of ground water salination due to the Adani’s sea water channels in the area. The channels draw large quantities of sea water and lead to destruction of marine organisms, including fish, thereby affecting the livelihoods of fisher folk. On the 15^th of December 2010 the company was served a show-cause notice by the Ministry of Forest and Environment as this illegal encroachment violates the CRZ Notification. However, despite the show-cause notice no worthwhile action has been taken either by the company or by the administration.

The fish workers of Mundra solely depend on fishing and are particularly vulnerable because they need access to the sea and the fish to make a living. The power plants create massive intake and outtake channels that have severely curtailed fisher folk's access to the sea. Additionally, the discharge by the plants into the sea after cooling the plant is of water temperatures higher than the sea. Even small changes in water temperature of the sea results in dramatic impact of the fragile ecosystem on which plankton and other sea life are dependent. In the past few years fisher folks on the coast of Kutch have already noticed drastic change resulting in significant reduction of their fish yields. In Tragdi village for example, which is well known for lobster fishing, during the 2010-2011 fishing season, the yield of lobster was negligible.

The combined impact of the projects on the environment, land and sea has long term impact on the lives of large traditional communities of Kutch. Realising that their future is bleak and their very survival is under serious threat, the fisher folk, salt pan workers along with pastoralists and farmers united with the fisher folk under the banner of the Machimar Adhikar Sangharsh Sanghatan the memorandum to the collector asked the government to safeguard the constitutional right to live and dignity and seek accountability from the Government demanding that they be allowed to pursue their traditional livelihoods and lead a dignified life.

Adani claims "We didn't destroy mangroves - the local communities and camels did"

Click below to see the Adanis' defence to allegations of large scale mangrove destruction on the NDTV "Save the Coast" campaign

The fishworkers of Kutch condemn the false claims made by the Adani Group and support stringent action by the Environment Ministry against the Adani Group for the serious violations of environment, forest and coastal regulation laws.

To support action against the Adani Group for the damage caused to the coastal ecology in Mundra, please sign the online petition http://www.gopetition.com/petition/41546.html

To read more about the Mundra issue, visit,
Adani projects: Eating into the sea?
Adani port: Damaging the coast
MoEF sends a showcause to Mundra Port and SEZ
Local Communities' view of the Mundra issue.

To view the complete Save the Coast campaign on NDTV, visit http://www.ndtv.com/video/player/ndtv-special-ndtv-24x7/ndtv-toyota-etios-save-india-s-coast-campaign/192408

Adani projects: Eating into the sea?

The ports and Special Economic Zone (SEZ) being constructed by the Adani Group in Gujarat's Mundra is under the Environment Ministry's scanner after allegations that illegal construction in these have illegally reclaimed the fragile seashore. NDTV reports. Click on the image below to see the video.

Read more at: http://www.ndtv.com/video/player/news/adani-projects-eating-into-the-sea/186058?cp

NO Thanks: Fisherfolk reject CSR package and say NO to Adani's KPGL power project in Bhadreshwar

Fishermen and other members of the local community unanimously opposed the Adani group's KPGL power plant proposed in Bhadreshwar village, during the public hearing held on 6th October in Luni village. The fishermen and salt pan workers expressed their concerned about the harmful impact on marine ecology because KPGL is planning to use OPEN CYCLE (ONCE THROUGH COOLING SYSTEM), which is banned in several Western countries because of the excessive damage it causes to marine ecology.

It is relevant to note that the CRZ committee recently rejected a proposal for intake channel in the same area due to the likely impact on marine life, sand dunes and mangroves in Bhadreshwar coast. The KPGL power plant proposes to draw over 10-100 times more sea water than other power plants in the area and discharge nearly 5000 lakh litres / hour into the sea. This is in-spite of the MoEF expert committee’s recommendation to KPGL to try and reduce discharge to zero to minimise damage to marine ecology.

The Marine Environement Impact Assessment report which is very important to understand the likely impact of the proposed KPGL project on fishing, has not been submitted by KPGL. With such key information missing in the documents submitted for the public hearing, people cannot not have a complete idea of the project or the likely impact on our heath and livelihoods. It is meaningless to conduct a public hearing without providing basic and essential information to the public.

Experiences of local communities living in the vicinity of coal based power plants in other parts of Kutch coast show that pollution due to coal dust and fly ash are severe in summer months because of the dry climate and the direction of wind which is towards land. The air pollution could severely affect the fish drying process and salt production. Also, it would affect places of religious importance such as the world famous Jain Vasai teerth which is a pilgrimage centre of Jains located in Bhadreshwar.

Three-fourths of the entire stretch of the Mundra coast, especially the Central and West parts of the Mundra coast, have already been utilised for the purpose of construction of Mundra port and SEZ, CGPL, Adani power plants and desalination plants. Bhadreshwar Randh Bander is important not only for the fisherfolk from Bhadreshwar but also for the 1000+ families dependent on Traditional Fishing on the Mundra Coast.

It is to be noted that the 2600 MW OPG power project is also proposed in Bhadreshwar village right next to the KPGL project location. The cumulative impact of proposed projects on such a small stretch of ecologically fragile coast needs to be studied carefully before Environment clearance can be considered for the projects. Principles of Integrated coastal management need to be adhered to while deciding on the site for upcoming projects.

The above issues show that EIA study has not been done in a rigorous, systematic and genuine manner.

In order to appease the community, the Adani Foundation had offered a CSR package to the fishing community in the form of a 4 Crore package which includes a grant of Rs.10,000 per family, construction of toilets etc. This is hardly adequate to compensate the loss caused by the project to the fishing community. The annual fish catch in Bhadreshwar coast and nearby areas is estimated to be over Rs.20 Crores.

Rejecting these CSR measures as mere lollipops, which trivialized the issues of the fisherfolk, the fishing community unanimously opposed the KPGL project from coming up in Bhadreshwar.

Court decides in favour of fisherfolk; orders re-scheduling of the Adani KPGL public hearing

The Gujarat High Court has decided in favour of the Bhadreshwar fisherfolk in the case filed by fisherfolk to challenge the back to back public hearings of Adanis' Mundra SEZ and KPGL power plant, both of which were scheduled on the same day, i.e tomorrow Oct 5th(Read More). The Honorable High court in its order today(4th October, 2010), has ordered the re-scheduling of the public hearing of Adani's proposed KPGL power project in Bhadreshwar.

Petition moved against public hearing for power plant

Express News Service
Posted: Sat Oct 02 2010, 06:30 hrs Ahmedabad:

Four fishermen from Kutch have moved a petition in the HC praying that the GPCB should postpone the public hearing on October 5 for a power plant. The petitioner had previously written to Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh asking the hearings — for the Mundra SEZ and Kutch Power Generation— be postponed, but the GPCB has so far not taken a decision.

Fishermen’s voice in Kutch still unheard, public hearings for Adani projects to go ahead

Indian Express, Wed, 29th Sept. Adam Halliday

Even though fishermen from Kutch recently wrote(Read More) to local and state authorities and even to Union Minister for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh requesting that back-to-back public hearings for two major industrial projects in Mundra district be cancelled, the public hearings will proceed as scheduled on October 5.

Top officials of the Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB), however, said the two public hearings need not be confined to the one-and-half hours allotted but can extend for “up to 24 hours” if the situation so demands. The public hearings are for the Mundra SEZ (expected to occupy an area roughly the size of Gandhinagar city) and the Kutch Power Generation Limited (a 3300 MW coal-based power plant). Both are projects proposed by the Adani Group. GPCB officials said the hearings are more convenient to be held on the same day since “the same people would be affected and the project proponent is the same”, but that extending the time allotted to each hearing is “not a problem” and is something the board’s local-level officials have already been apprised of.

The fishermen are concerned that the plant’s requirement of 52.50 crore litres of sea water per hour might “cause extensive damage to the marine ecology” and have sent a written complaint to Ramesh. The Adani Group proposes to use the “once-through system” of cooling at its 3300-MW coal-based power plant called Kutch Power Generation Limited, which it proposes to set up at the village. The system has attracted severe criticism in some parts of the world; in May 2010, the state of California in the US adopted a policy that seeks to abolish the use of this system.

The fishermen contend that while the volume of sea water that is to be pumped in to cool the plant (and which would be released at higher temperatures) is massive and there is as yet no study of how it would affect the marine ecology. They point out that the terms of reference and the Draft Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) report submitted by the company, and which has been posted on the GPCB website, does not contain a marine impact study.

The documents referred to as a marine impact study is only a technical study of the infrastructure proposed, they allege. When contacted, both the National Institute if Oceanography (NIO) in Goa and the GPCB confirmed that the points raised by the fishermen in this regard are true.

A top NIO official said the Marine EIA is still being prepared and that it has not been submitted yet. The official said the institute has not been contacted by nor has it contacted the private agency that has drawn up the Draft EIA report, distancing the NIO from any “so-called marine impact study” cited there.

On the other hand, senior GPCB officials agreed what has been submitted by the company is in fact not a marine impact study, but a “technical study on the infrastructure, especially the intake and out-fall channels proposed for the plant”. Asked whether this would mean cancellation of the public hearing, GPCB officials said “conducting a public hearing on the basis of a draft report is not a legal breach”.

However, the final decision on whether the project would eventually be allowed will be taken by the MoEF after examining all relevant documents, including the Marine EIA. “The public hearing will go on, but the MoEF and not the GPCB will finally take the decision after studying all the documents as well as the concerns raised at the public hearing,” a top official said.


http://www.indianexpress.com/news/fishermens-voice-in-kutch-still-unheard-public-hearings-for-adani-projects-to-go-ahead/689842/0

Tags : Union Minister for Environment and Forests, Jairam Ramesh Posted: Wed Sep 29 2010, 07:06 hrs Ahmedabad:Mundra The Mundra port

Local communities oppose namesake public hearing of Adani’s KPGL power project

The Adani Group promoted company Kutch Power Generation Limited(KPGL) is proposing a 3300 MW coal based power plant in Bhadreshwar village of Mundra Taluk, Kutch district, Gujarat. Fisherfolk and Salt pan workers are deeply concerned about the harmful impact of the project on their traditional livelihoods. Local communities are strongly opposed to the power project which is proposed in an ecologically fragile coastal area which is crucial for the livelihoods of fisherfolk, salt pan workers and other coastal communities.

Shockingly, the 3300 MW Adanis’ KPGL power project plans to use OPEN CYCLE/ ONCE THROUGH COOLING SYSTEM, an outdated technology which is termed by Marine Experts as equivalent to several fishing trawlers, a “Mega Fish Killer” known to cause excessive damage to Marine Ecology.



It is relevant to note that the CRZ committee recently rejected a proposal for intake channel for a smaller power plant(Read More) in the SAME AREA due to the likely impact on marine life, sand dunes and mangroves in Bhadreshwar coast. The Committee noted "Due to various environmental problems including the adverse impact on the marine life the present proposal is not acceptable". However, the KPGL power plant proposes to draw over 100 times more sea water than the power plant for which permission was rejected and discharge nearly 5000 lakh litres / hour into the sea. This is in-spite of the MoEF expert committee’s recommendation to KPGL to try and reduce discharge to zero to minimise damage to marine ecology.

Ever since the local communities knew of the project, they have been writing to the MoEF, NIO etc about their livelihood concerns and the need for rigorous and unbiased Environment Impact Assessment studies to ensure that their livelihoods are protected. But now, the local communities are concerned that the manner, in which the Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) has planned the public hearing for the KPGL power plant, will render the public hearing as an empty formality. As per the schedule for the KPGL public hearing given on the GPCB website, the public hearing for the Bhadreshwar KPGL power plant is being clubbed with the public hearing for the Mundra SEZ project and sufficient time has not been provided for any serious discussions.

Pubic Hearing of M/s Mundra Port and Special Economic Zone Limited, Taluka.Mundra, Dist.Kutch on 05-10-2010 at 11.00 hrs. at In Ground Opp.Ganesh Temple, Village.Luni, Tal.Mundra,Dist.Kutch.

Pubic Hearing of M/s Kutchh Power Generation Limited, Village.Bhadreswar,Taluka.Mundra,Dist.Kutch on 05-10-2010 at 12.30 hrs. at In Ground Opp.Ganesh Temple, Village.Luni, Tal.Mundra,Dist.Kutch.

It may be noted that the public hearing for the 300 MW OPG power plant in Bhadreshwar(Read More) held in May 2009 took nearly 5 hours to finish. The public hearings for other major projects in the area, such as the Waterfront Development Project and the Tata power project also went on for more than 5 hours. These facts have been ignored by the GPCB while planning for the public hearing of the KPGL project.

The KPGL power project significantly affects the local communities of Bhadreshwar and surrounding villages whereas the Mundra SEZ significantly affects the local communities in entire 60 km Mundra coast. Combining the public hearings of two different major projects in the same venue and date will result in confusion and chaos for the communities affected by the respective projects.

Para 4(ii) of the MoEF circular dated 19th April, 2010, related to procedure for conduct of public hearing by SPCBs under the EIA Notification, 2006, states that
“The public hearings pertaining to different projects shall not be held at the same venue at the same date and time. A sufficient gap of time shall be provided between different public hearings, if these are scheduled to be held on the same date and the same venue”. The current schedule of the public hearing for KPGL power plant is in gross violation of this circular.

Also, it will be very inconvenient for the Bhadreshwar villagers, especially fisher-folk and salt pan workers, who are likely to be worst affected by the KPGL power project, to attend the public hearing in the venue, Luni village, which is nearly 15 km away from Bhadreshwar village, where the project is proposed.

The local community representatives in their letter to the GPCB, dated 16th September, 2010 have pointed out these issues and demanded that the public hearing for the KPGL project must be held on a separate date and the venue for the public hearing must be in Bhadreshwar Village itself.

They have also written to the Hon. Minister Shri.Jairam Ramesh seeking his intervention to cancel the public hearing as several key information regarding project impacts, such as Marine Impact Study have not been provided to the public. To view the letter sent to Shri.Jairam Ramesh, click here and to endorse the letter, please visit Support for the Bhadreshwar fishworkers' Demand

Environment Ministry asks, “Is there Fishing in Bhadreshwar Coast?” NA, says Adani

The Adani group is planning a 3300 MW power plant in Bhadreshwar in the name of KPGL (Kutch Power Generation Limited). As per the project details (Form-1) submitted by the company to the Ministry of Environment and Forests, a copy of which we obtained through RTI, the company has mentioned that Bhadreshwar coast does not have important Fishing activity. In response to the question, “Areas containing important, High quality or scarce resources (ground water resources, surface resources, forestry, agriculture, fisheries, tourism, minerals)", the company has stated "NA". This is absolutely false and misleading.

*Click on the image for bigger picture

Randh Bander in Bhadreshwar coast is Kutch’s second largest traditional fishing settlement. Nearly 6000 fisherfolk from Bhadreshwar, Luni, Tuna and Sangad villages reside in this settlement in which traditional fishing is being practiced since nearly 200 years. Government surveys have shown, not only the existence of the bander, but also the high potential for fishing in Randh Bander and its importance. The Fisheries department is currently developing Randh Bander into a modern Fish landing centre. Also, a fisheries producers group ( Read More ), which helps fisherfolk in getting better income from fishing, has already started functioning in Bhadreshwar.

Randh Bander which is on Bhadreshwar coast clearly falls within the project impact area since the power project is proposed in Bhadreshwar village. But, surprisingly, there is no mention of the Randh Bander anywhere in the project information document which the company has submitted to the expert committee of the Environment Ministry.

There are several examples in Kutch coast that show that fishing activities have been completely disrupted in coastal villages where thermal power plants are situated. Based on the drastic decline in fish catch experienced by fisherfolk along the Lakhpat/Abdasa coast in Kutch, it is clear that the Adani power plant and desalination plant could pose grave risks to fishing/Salt Panning activity in the Bhadreshwar coast. In fact the state expert committee has deferred the 300 MW OPG power project in Bhadreshwar due to serious concerns about coastal livelihoods, and the world famous Jain pilgrimage centre in Bhadreshwar. ( Read More )

Inspite of the risks posed by the power plant to Kutch’s second largest fishing centre, impact on fishing has not even been considered in the impact assessment study being conducted by National Institute of Oceanography for the project. The local communities of Bhadreshwar, especially the Fishing community are strongly opposed to the meaningless study by NIO.

It’s not as if NIO officials are unaware of fishing activities on Bhadreshwar coast. As mentioned in a reply to RTI application, a NIO team visited Randh Bander on 23rd January, 2010 for physical verification of Sandbar at Bhadreshwar(Randh Bander). Again on March 6th, 2010, a NIO team lead by Dr.Gajbhiye personally visited Randh Bander upon the insistence of the representatives of fisherfolk and the NIO scientists themselves are witness to the false/misleading statements made by their clients, the Adanis.



Fisherfolk have raised their objection to the NIO study, which is based on false and misleading information provided by Adanis to the Environment Ministry’s expert committee and demand that the project be rejected immediately.

Further, fisherfolk demand that the Environment Ministry should implement United Nations Environment Guidelines on Thermal power plants, in Gulf of Kutch. If UN guidelines are followed, then Environment Clearance for the Adani power plant and other Thermal Power projects in Gulf of Kutch should be considered only after exhaustive carrying capacity studies, which would determine how many power plants can be safely established without adversely affecting the marine ecology and traditional coastal livelihoods in Gulf of Kutch.

Nearly 75% of the 60 km Mundra coast is already allocated for construction of ports, SEZ, power plants etc by Adani and other industries. Traditional fisherfolk all over the Mundra coast are facing displacement from their settlements. Bhadreshwar Randh Bander is the last major fishing settlement available for the 1000+ traditional fisherfolk families in the Mundra coast.

The fishing community is strongly opposed to the Adani power plant in Bhadreshwar as Bhadreshwar coast is critical for their livelihoods, whereas there are plenty of alternative sites in Kutch coast to implement the power plant. In their letter dated 6th March, 2010, the Fishworkers told the scientists and the company politely but firmly that they not responsible for any losses that the company might suffer in future because of the investments it is making towards the power plant in a location chosen without consulting the local communities.

If you would like to support the Bhadreshwar fishworkers and endorse their demands, please sign the online petition at http://www.gopetition.com/online/35144.html

Voice of the Mundra Fisherfolk

An Open letter to Respected Shri.Gautam Adani - Chairman and CEO of Adani Group and Respected Shri.Arvind Gupta - Managing Director and CEO, OPG Group.

Dear Gautam Bhai / Arvind Bhai,

Fishing is our sole livelihood that has sustained our community for centuries and deprieved of it, we will perish.

Adani Mundra Port,SEZ and the OPG Power Plant will do just that.

Is that what you want?

Listen to our voice: Our Demands .

Machimar Adhikar Sangharsh Samiti

Proposed Industries on the Mundra Coast

Overview of Adanis' Waterfront Development Project:

The Mundra Port as of date has multipurpose terminals, container terminals, Single Point Mooring and back-up infrastructure such as open storage area, covered godowns, chemical and POL(Petroleum/Oil/Lubricant) storage tank farm, and several CFS(Container Freight Stations) operated by private parties on land leased from MPSEZL. Support infrastructure, as existing, comprises connectivity to national network of railways and roads, power supply, water supply and other utilities and services.

The proposed WFDP comprises four port clusters - namely West Port, South Port, North Port and East Port, a Liquified Natural Gas terminal, two shipyards, three desalination plants, associated intake and outfall structures, port interconnecting road/link network and other necessary infrastructure.

The proposed structures are shown on the map below(click image to see Fullsize):

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Usage and Capacity

The estimated traffic in these ports is listed below:

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Port	No of ships per year by 2013	Nature of cargo
West	850	Coal, Steel Scrap, Chemicals, Dry Bulk
South	220	Dry Bulk and Oil
North	150	Automobiles
East	300	Steel Scrap, Dry Bulk

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The capacity of the Desalination plant near West port is 300 million litres per day. Nearly 1.5 times the capacity is discharged into the sea as saline water. Desalination plants of 100 mld, 140 mld capacities are proposed in future.

Overview of OPGs' Coal Based Power Plant Project:

1. A 300 MW coal based Thermal power plant is being proposed.The generated power is supplied to industries and not to the power grid.
2. The total land that has been procured for the power plant is 316 acres.
3. The location of the power plant is shown in Google Earth Image,

4. Indonesian Coal will be brought in through Mundra / Kandla ports located 25/50 kms away. Daily 150-200 trucks are needed to carry coal from the port to the power plant.
5. Desalination plant will be used for supply of potable water/ Dematerialized water for the boiler feed of the power plant.
6. Type of cooling system is NOT a once through cooling system. It is a sea water cooling tower designed to reduce intake of sea water. However, it is not clear whether the cooling system is a closed cycle cooling system or an open system with helping tower as the water balance diagram shows a Cooling Tower blow down of 1500 m3/hr.
7. Nearly 540 lakh litres of water will be drawn from the sea in a day and nearly 360 lakh litres of water will be discharged into the sea in a day.

8. Nearly 9,000 tonnes of Flyash will be generated every month.

9.Acidic gases such as Sulphur Oxide and Nitrous Oxide will be released by the power plant.