The DEBATE over the erection of Rampal power plant has already kicked off a lot of dust. On one hand, the scientists and environmentalists have waged a relentless struggle on the issue while the government is bent on setting up the plant as planned, on the other. It is on the priority list of the government. The government has been assuring the people that the project will not leave any untoward impact on the people of the surrounding areas or pose a threat for flora and fauna of the area. Meanwhile, many local and international bodies have repeatedly warned the government of possible natural disaster once the project is in installed.
The Bangladesh Power Development Board and Indian Thermal Power Corporation signed an agreement to set up 1320 megawatt power plant which is only 14 km away of the Sundarbans, the largest mangrove forest in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is a coal fired power project and coal will be imported from India and transported through the water ways of adjacent rivers. That is why the environmentalists have been cautioning the government of a serious impact on the biodiversity of the area. The government should not ignore the issue and must take note of what the local as well as foreign experts have to say. We of course need electricity, but it should not be at the cost of a man made disaster.
Mohammad Zonaed Emran
A banker
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