The much-awaited environmental clearance from the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests has been granted for the 4,000-megawatt (MW) Cheyyur Ultra Mega Power Project in Kancheepuram district and the 1,320-MW Udangudi Thermal Power Project in Tuticorin district.
The Cheyyur project has been mooted by the Centre and the Udangudi project by the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (TANGEDCO).
In respect of Cheyyur, the Coastal Tamil Nadu Power Limited, a subsidiary of the Power Finance Corporation (PFC), is the project proponent and it floated bids last month. However, the National Green Tribunal early this month had restrained the project proponent from finalising the bids.
In respect of Cheyyur, the Centre made it clear that the vocation of traditional fishing community should not be hampered by the activities of the power project. In addition to Rs. 27.84 crore to be spent for resettlement and rehabilitation, an amount of around Rs. 100 crore had to be set apart for corporate social responsibility activities.
In the case of Udangudi, the project proponent has been advised by the Union Ministry to adopt fishing communities displaced/affected by the power plant and, in particular, those residing in and around the plant within a radius of three km. An amount of Rs. 86 crore would be earmarked for CSR activities besides an annual recurring expenditure of Rs. 15 crore.
