Order of the National Green Tribunal regarding EC granted to Adani Power for a thermal power plant, Godda, Jharkhand, 28/05/2020
Order of the National Green Tribunal in the matter of R. Sreedhar Vs Union of India & Others dated 28/05/2020. The appeal was directed against an amended Environmental Clearance (EC) dated 03.09.2019 granted to M/s. Adani Power (Jharkhand) Ltd., (Project Proponent) by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), permitting withdrawl of water from the river Ganga for the proposed thermal power project at Godda, Jharkhand to be set up by Adani.
As per the earlier EC, water was to be drawn from river Chir. The complainant said that the project proponent had changed the scope of a crucial aspect of the project relating to drawing of water from river Ganga to meet the water requirements of the thermal power plant though the same was never mentioned in EIA or placed before the public during public hearing.
Further, the impact on fauna of the Ganga river at the Sahebganj and nearby area where there was presence of Gangetic dolphins, otters and many other wildlife species have not been considered in the Source Sustainability Study Report. Further, the site selection for the project was in violation of siting criteria prescribed by the MoEF&CC.
The NGT admitted the appeal and directed the appellant to furnish requisites within one week and the respondents, including Adani Power has to file report answering the complaints within 30 days. The case has been listed again before NGT on August 3, 2020.