VISAKHAPATNAM: Despite widespread protests from local people, public representatives, NGOs and environmental activists, the mayor and commissioner of Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation are all set to give a noobjection certificate (NOC) to the proposed 1,040 MW coalbased power plant of Hinduja National Power Corporation Limited (HNPCL) at Devada and Palavalasa, on the outskirts of the city, in Pedagantyada mandal.
The thermal power project was proposed in 1992 as one of the first fasttrack private power projects. Over 1,100 acres of land was alienated for the project for which the then prime minister, PV Narasimha Rao, had laid the foundation stone in 1994. But the project has not materialised yet. A few months ago, the management of HNPCL began work on the project. Now, the project has been converted into a merchant power plant. The management claims that the construction had begun in 1999 as the Environmental Clearance certificate issued by the Union ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) given in 1996 remains valid. However, sources say, the clearances granted by the MoEF are under scrutiny and the MoEF has deferred clearance for the project which also needs the Coastal Regulatory Zone clearance for sea water intake, outfall system and railway line for coal transportation to the project. Moreover, not a single public hearing has been held on the project to know about people's objections, if any. But APPCB officials say the project has got MoEF's clearance.
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