Ahead of Modi's controversial statement on "Jayanthi tax", MoEF granted eco-clearance to major port in Gujarat

In a major boost to Gujarat, the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF), Government of India, has given environmental and coastal regulatory zone (CRZ) clearance for the development of all-weather port at Chhara village, Junagarh District, to its developers, the Shapoorji Pallonji Group. While giving the clearance, provided a week before Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi made the controversial statement, accusing former Union environment minister Jayanthi Natarajan of charging what he called "Jayanthi tax" and derailing many a project, the MoEF agreed with the developers' view that the location of the site “is not an eco-sensitive area”, and the “nearest wetland is about three km away”.
In its letter dated January 6, 2014, granting environmental clearance, the MoEF said, the environmental appraisal committee (EAC) “visited the site and observed that the site is in a largely single crop agriculture land”, and that the environmental appraisal committee (EIA) report on the project was “based on three-season data.” The MoEF observed, “EAC in its meetings held in May 2013 and June 2013 noted that the nearest environment zone, Gir forests, is 22 km away.”
Suggesting that “the additional information” was handed over, and clarified, the MoEF said, response on the issues raised in an appeal to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) helped made a few minor changes. The EAC approved the project on September 21, 2013. Development of the port is proposed in two phases. In the first phase, the developers propose to develop facilities to handle imported coal at 8 metric million tonnes per annum.
The Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB) issued letter of intent (LoI) to the Shapoorji Pallonji group in April 2008 for development of all-weather, direct-berthing port and create necessary infrastructure at Simar. But subsequent investigations at the Simar Port site (Khada village) revealed adverse offshore geo-technical data which led to the conclusion that port cannot be developed at Simar. Hence, the developers then identified another site, 45 km on the west of the Simar site, near Chhara village.

Before the MoEF granted clearance, the Gujarat Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) recommended the project was not near any no eco-sensitive area, and the nearest eco-sensitive zone was not within 10 km radius. The project's public hearing was held on November 11, 2010 at MM High School, at Sarkhadi-Chhara Circle, Kodinar. The issues raised included employment, impact on water bodies, conservation of shark whales and sea turtles. The matter went to the NTG, which in its order dated April 22, 2012, which also did not find anything objectionable in the project.
While granting environmental clearance, the MoEF wanted the developers to comply by certain conditions, including obtaining “consent for establishment” from the State Pollution Control Board under the air and water Act, development of rainwater harvesting “with respect to maximum rainfall”, coal be “kept under moist conditions using water sprinklers”, there should not be any disturbance to the canal joining the two water bodies nearby, implementation of a corporate social responsibility (CSR) action plan, development of greenbelt, including mangrove plantation in 200 hectares area”, and so on.
Following the environmental clearance, the Shapoorji Pallonji group has applied to the MoEF for yet another clearance – to set up a liquefied natural gas (LNG) re-gasification terminal in Gujarat at the cost of Rs 5,400 crore.Proposed to be set up at a 50:50 equity partnership with the Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL), about 20 km from the port site, while the first phase of the LNG terminal proposes capacity of 2.5 MMPTA, in the second phase it would be expanded to 10 MMPTA.

Comments

Beyond the Sattvik plate: Prof Anil Gupta's take on food, ethics, and sustainability

I was pleasantly surprised to receive a rather lengthy comment (I don't want to call it a rejoinder) on my blog post about the Sattvik Food Festival, held near the Sola Temple in Ahmedabad late last year. It came from no less a person than Anil Gupta, Professor Emeritus at the Indian Institute of Management-Ahmedabad (IIM-A), under whose guidance this annual event was held.

A conman, a demolition man: How 'prominent' scribes are defending Pritish Nandy

How to defend Pritish Nandy? That’s the big question some of his so-called fans seem to ponder, especially amidst sharp criticism of his alleged insensitivity during his journalistic career. One such incident involved the theft and publication of the birth certificate of Masaba Gupta, daughter of actor Neena Gupta, in the Illustrated Weekly of India, which Nandy was editing at the time. He reportedly did this to uncover the identity of Masaba’s father.

'Potentially lethal, carcinogenic': Global NGO questions India refusing to ban white asbestos

Associated with the Fight Inequality Alliance, a global movement that began in 2016 to "counter the concentration of power and wealth among a small elite", claiming to have members in the United Kingdom, South Africa, Kenya, Zambia, the Philippines, and Denmark, the advocacy group Confront Power appears all set to intensify its campaign against India as "the world’s largest asbestos importer".

No to free thought? How Gujarat's private universities are cowing down their students

"Don't protest"—that's the message private universities across Gujarat seem to be conveying to their students. A senior professor told me that students at the university where he teaches are required to sign an undertaking promising not to engage in protests. "They simply sign the undertaking and hand it over to the university authorities," he said.

In lieu of tribute to Pritish Nandy, said to be instrumental in collapse of Reliance-controlled daily

It is widely reported that Pritish Nandy , journalist, author, animal activist, and politician, has passed away. While it is customary to pay tributes to a departing soul—and I, too, have joined those who have posted heartfelt condolences on social media—I cannot forget the way he treated me when he was editor of the Reliance-controlled Business and Political Observer (BPO), for which I had been working informally in Moscow.

Shyam Benegal's Mathan a propaganda film that supported 'system'? No way

A few days ago, I watched Manthan, a Shyam Benegal movie released in 1976. If I remember correctly, the first time I saw this movie was with Safdar Hashmi, one of the rare young theater icons who was brutally murdered in January 1989. Back then, having completed an M.A. in English Literature from Delhi University in 1975, we would often move around together.

Sattvik Food Festival: Shouldn't one question notion of purity, cultural exclusion in food choices?

Recently, I visited the Sattvik Food Festival, an annual event in Ahmedabad organized by Anil Gupta, professor emeritus at the Indian Institute of Management-Ahmedabad (IIM-A). I have known Prof. Gupta since 1993, when I sought an appointment to meet him a few months after joining The Times of India in Ahmedabad—one reason why I have always been interested in the activities he is involved in.

To be or not to be Sattvik: Different communities' differing notions of purity and fasting

This is a continuation of my last blog on Sattvik food. When talking about Sattvik, there is a tendency to overlook what it may mean to different sections of people around the world. First, let me redefine Sattvik: it means having a "serene, balanced, and harmonious mind or attitude." Derived from the Sanskrit word sattva, it variously means "pure, essence, nature, vital, energy, clean, conscious, strong, courage, true, honest, and wise." How do people achieve this so-called purity? Among Gujarati Hindus, especially those from the so-called upper castes who are vegetarians, one common way is fasting. On fasting days, such as agiyarash —the 11th day of the lunar cycle in the Vedic calendar—my close relatives fast but consume milk, fruit juices, mangoes, grapes, bananas, almonds, pistachios, and potato-based foods, including fried items. Another significant fasting period is adhik maas. During this time, many of my relatives "fast" by eating only a single me...

Would Gujarat Governor, govt 'open up' their premises for NGOs? Activists apprehensive

Soon after I uploaded my blog about the Gujarat Governor possibly softening his stance on NGOs—evidenced by allowing a fisherfolk association to address the media at a venue controlled by the Raj Bhawan about India’s alleged failure to repatriate fishermen from Pakistani prisons—one of the media conference organizers called me. He expressed concern that my blog might harm their efforts to secure permission to hold meetings on state premises.

Search This Blog