Imagine the world’s largest mangrove forest gasping for air. The
once-green landscape is turning a dull gray, yellow and brown. In
certain places where the rivers intertwined with the forest have turned
black. The air is as harsh as the fading wilderness. One can hardly
breathe due to the heat; animals and small creatures are dying. Trees
and rivers are heavy with the smell of the dead. Towering concrete
chimneys spew out clouds of toxic gas, fly ash and heat into the air
amidst the dying forest.These are the possible consequences that the Sundarbans may face as a
result of the ambitious construction of a thermal power plant in Rampal.
Massive industrialisation from Rampal to Mongla will add to the
catastrophe. Locals fear an environmental backlash as these two sites
are located 14-kilometre northwest of the Sundarbans and four kilometres
from the declared Ecologically Critical Area (ECA).Vijay Shanker Tamrakar, Managing Director of Bangladesh India
Friendship Power Company, however, tells the Star that this is the best
location in the country for a coal based thermal power plant. “Since it
is closer to the Sundarbans we thought about the mitigation process very
closely. We are following every recommendation of the Centre for
Environment and Geographic Information Services (CEGIS) and using modern
technology to minimize the ill effects. But it is also true that you
cannot fulfil everything in a site.”
Interestingly though, the state’s initiative to set up a power plant and
the low price of land has drawn many investors in the adjacent areas.
At least 30 different business groups have acquired lands over the last
four years to set up industries in Burirdanga, a neighbouring union of
Rampal. Pillars and signboards of power plants, shipyards,
pharmaceutical companies, LP Gas and other commercial enterprises have
already been put up, demarcating land ownership across the river bank.After the land acquiring began, locals and the environmentalists started
to protest against the proposed power plant. The fear is that the
exclusive flora and fauna and the Bengal Tiger may disappear in the
process of massive industrialisation. The trees, many of which have
already been cut, had worked as an environmental shield during Cyclone
Sidr for the people living in the country’s south-western region.
Without them these areas will become even more vulnerable to natural
disasters.The toxic gas, oil and chemical spilling will spread to the animals living in the green trees. Photo: Prabir DasDr Abdullah Harun, professor of Environmental Science Discipline of
the Khulna University, believes that Rampal and Mongla are not suitable
for industrialisation. The government should avoid setting up industries
that have an adverse impact on the sensitive ecology of the Sundarbans.
“Besides ecological factors, we should always remember that at least
one million people are living in and around the Sundarbans depend on
this forest for their livelihood”, he adds.An independent Envionmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report, titled
“Environmental Impacts of Coal based Power Plant of Rampal on the
Sundarban and Surrounding Areas”, prepared by Dr Abdulllah Harun
concludes that most impacts of coal-fired power plant are “negative and
irreversible”, which “cannot be mitigated in any way”. It indicates that
“climate, topography, land use pattern, air and water (surface and
ground) quality, wetlands, floral and faunal diversity, capture
fisheries, and tourism will be affected permanently due to the plant.”
The researcher believes that the selected area is not suitable for any
type of coal based power plant – economically, socially, physically and
environmentally.
Controversy All Along
“Climate,
topography, land use pattern, air and water (surface and ground)
quality, wetlands, floral and faunal diversity, capture fisheries, and
tourism will be affected permanently due to the (Rampal) plant.”
Experts claim that the environmental impacts and threats were
overlooked in the jointly agreed frame work signed in April 20, 2013.
“The government’s initiative towards the project raised questions behind
the justification of choosing a site near Sundarban,” believes M Inamul
Haque, coordinator of the National Committee to Protect Land, Water,
Agricultural and Forest Resource.
It was when Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina visited India in 2010 that the
two prime ministers signed a memorandum for the power generation plant
near the Sundarbans.
Following the understanding between the two countries, India’s National
Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) and Bangladesh’s Power Development
Board (PDB) signed a treaty in 2012. Bizarrely, without measuring the
environmental aspects and threats, the treaty planned to establish a
1,320 megawatt power plant in Rampal.
The EIA report admits that factors like oil spillage from ships and
boats, noise, speed, lighting, and waste disposal should be taken into
account as they may hamper the delicate ecosystems of the Sundarbans. It
also acknowledges that nearly 220 tons of different toxic gases will be
emitted daily from the power plant; unless the toxic gas is not treated
properly before emission the natural resources from the forest may be
entirely wiped out.
Dr Abdulllah Harun is understandably concerned over the whole project:
“Most of the environmental aspects that the EIA report presents,
interestingly contradict its own finding.” According to him, the EIA
report states that open water fishery habitats like river Passur and
Maidara, khals and inter-tidal area may be affected due to dredging,
traffic movements and oil and chemical spilling. But at the same time it
permits coal carrying ships through the forest.
Experts are more concerned about sulphur and carbon dioxide emissions
from the power plant. They believe that the forest trees will be covered
in sulphur dioxide within 20 to 30 years as the wind will carry the
harmful chemical into the forest. And the effect will spread to the
animals living in the green tress. The contaminated food chain will also
affect the Bengal Tiger, they fear.
The EIA report also states that the “provision has been kept for
future installation of a Flue Gas Desulfurization (FGD) plant to limit
sulphur dioxide emission within the ECR 1997 standard, in case of taking
decision for importing higher Sulphur containing coal.” M Inamul Haque
believes that the technique and the modern technology that the EIA
report refers to will increase the production costs. So the price of per
unit electricity will increase rapidly within a few years.
Since their lands were acquired they have been left with nothing.
The EIA report revealed that the area’s (project area and its 10
kilometres radius areas) major agricultural outputs come from the
production of paddy, estimated at 62,353 metric ton rice and 140,461
metric tons of non-rice crops annually. The report also estimated that
the livestock and poultry population per household comprise of three to
four cattle, two to three buffaloes, four goats, one sheep, five ducks
and six to seven chickens, respectively.
The report stated that the fishery resources of the project area are
‘rich and diversified’ with around 120 aquatic species. Overall, fish in
the area is about 9,351.62 hectares, of which 735.39 hectares are on
the project area. Shrimp and fish farms, rivers, khals, intertidal
creeks, mangrove area and other surface areas occupy about 62 per cent
of the project area.
The EIA report also states that the annual fisheries production in
the project area is 569, 41 metric tons and 5,218.66 metric tons in the
adjacent areas. However Tamrakar strongly opposes this, stating that the
project area “is not a cultivable or agricultural land. But I need to
see the report to confirm.”
The project will use deep tube wells and Poshur River for washing coal.
According to the research, it will draw around 25,000 cubic metres of
water every day. Experts are worried about the water which BIFPC have
planned to use. “We are concerned about the deep tube wells’ water,
since it will push the ground water level down. And besides after using
the water, they will discharge the treated or untreated water into the
river. And it will completely destroy the whole eco diversity of
Poshur.”
According to the treaty, Bangladesh and India will equally share up to
30 percent of the equity. And the rest will be taken as a bank loan
worth 1.2 billion dollars. M Inamul Haque says with regret, “If the
government is liable to pay the loan than why should we ask the Indian
government for help or invest? We can draw the loan and construct the
power plant with our own money. I don’t see any point in seeking help
from India, since we are paying the debt and giving them 50 percent
share of the production.”
Dishing Out Mongla
The Star’s visit to the Burirdanga union reveals that commercial
enterprises have acquired nearly two-third of the union by the Poshur
river bank. Most of the signboards read that the lands now belong to
industrial projects.
Anirban Chowdhury, union Parishad chairman of Burirdanga union, tells
the Star that if industries are set up in the banks of Poshur,
Kumarkhali, Rampal, Daudkhali, Bishna, Bogura, Betbunia and Madartola,
all the inhabitants of the area will be affected by an environmental
disorder, in addition to loss of land.
However, locals as well as sources at the DOE say that commercial
enterprises have been acquiring lands violating legal processes and
putting pressure on villagers to vacate their ancestral homes. “The DOE
office at Khulna division often remains in the dark about industrial
establishments in the region because of lack of manpower to monitor the
activities,” says an official of DOE on condition of anonymity.
Mongla is an upazila in the Bagerhat district of Khulna division
comprising of six unions. Commercial enterprises have taken up projects
in three of the unions: Burirdanga, Chila and Chadpai, The companies
have acquired nearly 2,000 bighas of commercial enterprises in
Burirdanga alone.
Increasing
encroachment of rivers, agricultural farms are getting inundated with
saline water during high-tide and tidal surge, putting the livelihood of
inhabitants at risk.
The possibility of significant environmental impacts, like untreated
effluents of industries into coastal waters, carbon emission and release
of huge amounts of dust might lead to the gradual destruction of the
flora and fauna of the Sundarbans, fears SK Faridul Islam, coordinator
of Save the Sundarbans, He says, “We fear such initiatives will bring
drastic destruction to the ecological harmony.”
Fisheries in the region have already received its first blow as fishes
in the riverside are dying because of industrial wastes being dumped in
the river, says Nihar Roy, a fisherman from Moidara. “Only God knows how
we will survive after the industry starts functioning in Mongla,” he
adds.
Most of the commercial enterprises have been buying the lands along the
banks of river. Another fisherman Mohonto Roy, (not his real name) from
Biddarbahon alleges that the companies intentionally bought the river
banks first. “During monsoon, the narrow channels of the rivers made our
homes waterlogged, so the only mode of communication was by boat.
Occupying the banks will cut off all communication, compelling the
inhabitants to leave their lands,” he laments.
Mohonto adds he is in a great dilemma since all his relatives including
his elder brother migrated to India while he stayed back. Mohonto’s
ancestral house has become landlocked as a company bought lands from
both sides of his property.
The process of encroachment and siltation of rivers started many years
ago and at present “we are just facing a crisis of dried up rivers and
blocked canals,” says Khalilur Rahman, executive engineer of Water
Development Board, Bagerhat.
According to a Mongla port official, during the ’80s large vessels
traversed the rivers Kumarkhali, Rampal, Daudkhali, Bishna, Bogura,
Betbunia and Madartola but nowadays even boats cannot ply the rivers
smoothly.
Moreover, due to increasing encroachment of rivers, agricultural
farms are getting inundated with water during high-tide and tidal surge,
putting the livelihood of inhabitants at risk. The salinity of the
water damages fertility of land, plant and trees. No initiative has been
taken so far to fight against this curse, locals say.
Bangladesh is not an industrialized country but the growth of industries
has had a significant impact on climate change. Electricity and
industrialization are undoubtedly vital for the country’s growth but
such progress cannot be at the cost of natural treasures and the
livelihoods of millions of people. M Inamul Haque points out a solution,
he believes that the government can relocate the power plant to the
northern region of the country. Barapukuria alone has a deposit of 389
million tonnes of coal. “If we shift the power plant project to the
northern region then we can use our own product, we do not have to
depend to Australia or Indonesia for coal. I believe it will minimize
the production cost, most importantly it will save our Sundarban”, he
adds.
The present scenario at Rampal is ominous. The trees are gone and
surrounding cultivable and flood lands are being filled up for the
construction of the plant. The life of Bangladesh’s only surviving
mangrove forest, is at stake.
