Activists demand fresh study on Orissa thermal plants

The tribunal, the country's top green panel, directed the ministry of environment and forests Tuesday to initiate a study on radiation from the coal-based thermal power plant at Koradi in Maharashtra.

"We urge upon the Orissa government to take a cue from this order and take immediate steps to get such impact studies done before going ahead with any ongoing thermal power plants in the state," Water Initiatives Odisha (WIO) convenor Ranjan Panda told IANS.

Orissa is soon to produce 37,000 MW of thermal power. Besides, there are plans to generate 8,000 MW under central schemes, Panda added.  The state proposes to produce at least 58,000 MW in seven to eight years, said the convenor of WIO, a network of civil society groups in the state.

"We have written to the state government to take serious note of the recent judgment of the tribunal and take immediate action to assess the radiation and other impacts of  thermal power plants already operating in the state," he said.

"We also urge upon it to order all  under construction thermal power plants to stop work before such impacts assessments are done and ask for fresh environment impact assessment studies and public hearings for these plants in line with the latest judgment," he said.