After several twists and turns, the State government has given its green signal to Visakhapatnam-Kakinada Petroleum Chemical Petrochemical Investment Region by clearing the draft master plan following which AP Pollution Control Board will hold public hearing on December 18.
“After several studies conducted by reputed agencies like National Institute of Oceanography, NEERI and EPTRI, we have decided to hold a public hearing at Nakkapalli, about 100 km from here to elicit the opinion of the stakeholders,” AP Pollution Control Board Environment Engineer R. Lakshminarayana told The Hindu .
The search for anchor tenants in PCPIR is still on with HPCL stating that it is keen on partnering with a few reputed firms to set up a Greenfield refinery and petrochemical complex, which it had proposed five years ago with an investment of Rs. 32,000 crore.
LNG Petronet Limited will be the first major project in the region. The company, which secured all the clearances for LNG terminal at Gangavaram Port, the first on the East Coast, will invest Rs.10,000 crore in two phases to achieve a capacity of 10 million tonnes a year in a span of five years.
PCPIR, on the whole is expected to attract an investment of Rs.3.43 lakh crore in 10 years. The project turned a subject of controversy ever since it was proposed by the undivided AP in March 2008. On creation of infrastructure like road, rail and air connectivity, an amount of Rs.19,159 crore will be spent.
Following objections raised by many, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu during his earlier stint had announced the shelving of coastal corridor project following apprehensions that it would impact the livelihood of farmers and fishermen. Later, the Congress government resolved to take up express highway project connecting Kakinada and Gangavaram ports. The draft master plan prepared by the consultants engaged by PCPIR Special Development Authority – LEA Associates was caught in the bifurcation muddle. It came under strong criticism from social activist E.A.S. Sarma, environmentalists and Left parties who said the hazardous units coming up in the corridor would put critically polluted Visakhapatnam on a powder keg.
