Prime Minister’s Adviser Dr Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury on Wednesday announced that the government was determined to move with the 1,320MW coal-fired Rampal power plant project despite resistance from environmentalists and different political parties.
Rejecting an idea that neighbouring India had disallowed a similar project in their part of Sundarbans on environmental ground, he said: “This is our project within Bangladesh territory. We will move ahead with it. What India has done with their project, we do not care.”
Power Secretary Monwar Islam informed that foundation stone of the Rampal power project would be laid on October 22 this year, reports UNB.
The adviser was addressing a press conference at Bidyut Bhaban in the city on the Rampal power plant project which coincides with the anti-Rampal project long-march now being launched by the National Committee to Protect Oil Gas Mineral Resources Power and Ports.
The five-day march started on Tuesday (Sept 24) from National Press Club in Dhaka and will end on Saturday (Sept 28) in Rampal of Bagerhat in Khulna through a mass-rally there.
The ministry’s top functionaries claimed that the proposed power plant project, now being implemented by Dhaka and New Delhi under a joint venture agreement, would be fully environmental risk-free.
“In no way this will harm environment of Sundarbans as we have taken all mitigation measures. The project will use the latest ultra super critical technology,” said Tawfiq adding that it would use a 300 metre high chimney to emit carbon dioxide exhaust.
Criticising the long march activists, he said many people were opposing the project without any logic. “They do it just for emotion.”
He said the Rampal site was selected for the project considering many aspects including coal loading, navigation, population density and also balancing of power generation between south-west and north-east regions of the country.
He claimed that the project site is 14km away from the Sundarbans which "is enough distance for keeping the forest safe from the power plant’s impact."
“I saw many power plants in the USA located in forests. Those do not harm the forests as they use modern technology,” the PM’s adviser said.
Making a presentation on the proposed Rampal plant, the officials said the plant would consume 10,000 tonnes of coal each day and those would be transported to the project site through lighterage vessels.
The power secretary said the coal would be carried through covered vessels and covered conveyer belt to avoid dust emission. He said the coal would be imported from four countries — Indonesia, Australia, South Africa and Mozambique.