The Consumer Federation Tamil Nadu (CONFET) has urged the authorities to cancel the public hearing on the proposed acquisition of land for expansion of the Neyveli Lignite Corporation mines, scheduled for January 8, 2015.
Executive secretary of the consumer forum M. Nizamudeen told The Hindu that the manner in which the public hearing was sought to be conducted was in contradiction of the norms stipulated in the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) notification.
An advertisement on the public hearing has appeared as follows: in view of the proposed restructuring of Mine-I land for the extent of 457 hectares has to be acquired in Ammeri and Vadakku Vellore villages in Cuddalore district. (Since, lignite production in this old mine has tapered down the NLC has proposed to scale down the production in the mine from the present 10.5 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) to 8 MTPA).
Another advertisement states: in view of the expansion of Mine-IA to enhance its lignite production from the current 3 MTPA to 7 MTPA additional stretch of land to the extent of 382ha has to be acquired in Thenkuthu and Vadakuthu villages in Cuddalore district.
Both the advertisements declare that the public hearing would be held at the Veludayanpattu temple grounds, located at Block 16 in Neyveli Township, at 10.30 a.m. on January 8, 2015.
Mr. Nizamudeen said that the EIA notification stated that the public hearing should be held only at the project sites and not elsewhere. He averred that since the proposed venue falls within the jurisdiction of the NLC, away from the villages where land stock has to be acquired, those participating in the public hearing would not be in a position to express their views frankly and boldly.
Moreover, two public hearings could not be held at the same venue and at the same time.
Therefore, Mr. Nizamudeen said that the authorities ought to cancel the January 8 public hearing and issue fresh advertisements as per the EIA norms, with different timings for the two hearings.
He further pointed out that the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board, that is to conduct the public hearing, has given its old address of No. 21, Siva Complex Imperial Road, Thirupadiripuliyur, Cuddalore, whereas it has shifted a few months ago to Kudikadu on the SIPCOT Industrial Estate.
“Therefore, those who want to have the details of both the projects could not do so. Hence, there is an absolute necessity for the Cuddalore unit of the TNPCB to provide the correct address to the public. I hope the fresh advertisements would take care of these aspects,” Mr. Nizamudeen said.
He has sent identical representations in this regard to the Secretary of the Forests and Environment Ministry, the TNPCB, the District Collector and the District Environmental Engineer.
TNPCB to look into matterWhen contacted, the NLC sources said that since the conduct of public hearing was in the realm of the TNPCB they could not comment on it. The TNPCB sources said that usually the public hearing was being organised as per the rules and regulations. However, as objections had been raised to the present one the TNPCB would look into the matter.
