<p>After the Yelahanka Puttenahalli Lake and Bird Conservation Trust moved the NGT seeking an injunction against the construction of the gas-based power plant where a fire accident killed three people, KPCL has filed an affidavit alleging that the trust was acting at behest of an apartment association and misrepresented facts.</p>.<p>On October 2, a fire accident in the gas turbine led to the death of three employees, with 13 others suffering injuries. The trust, fighting against the plant at the National Green Tribunal (NGT), filed an interlocutory petition stating that the incident was a "blast”, and the plant poses a potential risk to the environment.</p>.<p>Apart from the trust's petition questioning the granting of environment clearance by the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA), the Heritage Estate Apartment Owners Association has moved the tribunal, alleging that the plant degraded the environment and biodiversity in the area.</p>.<p>In its affidavit, the KPCL said it was wrong to call the incident a blast as it was only a mishap and the loud noise heard by people in the vicinity was "due to activation of the fire protection system".</p>.<p>Rejecting the claim that the operation of the power plant caused "an abnormal increase in heat, air, noise and light pollution" for the past seven to eight months, the KPCL said GAIL began supplying natural gas only on September 9 and the turbine operation started only in the third week of September. The burning of gas in the turbine has not taken place for more than a few days, it added.</p>.<p>Stating that Rs 2,025 crore has been spent on the project, the KPCL defended the environment clearance for the plant. "Puttenahalli Lake was notified as a Bird conservation reserve on 10/09/2015 only after the environment clearance was granted to the project (on 01/09/2014)," it said.</p>.<p>Regarding the claim that constructing such a plant near the lake requires clearance from the Union environment ministry, the affidavit said the plant is built in a "declared industrial area" and doesn't disturb the flow of water and "there will be no discharge" into lake. It further said that several steps have been taken to preserve the lake eco-system, including treating of the wastewater with reverse osmosis.</p>
<p>After the Yelahanka Puttenahalli Lake and Bird Conservation Trust moved the NGT seeking an injunction against the construction of the gas-based power plant where a fire accident killed three people, KPCL has filed an affidavit alleging that the trust was acting at behest of an apartment association and misrepresented facts.</p>.<p>On October 2, a fire accident in the gas turbine led to the death of three employees, with 13 others suffering injuries. The trust, fighting against the plant at the National Green Tribunal (NGT), filed an interlocutory petition stating that the incident was a "blast”, and the plant poses a potential risk to the environment.</p>.<p>Apart from the trust's petition questioning the granting of environment clearance by the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA), the Heritage Estate Apartment Owners Association has moved the tribunal, alleging that the plant degraded the environment and biodiversity in the area.</p>.<p>In its affidavit, the KPCL said it was wrong to call the incident a blast as it was only a mishap and the loud noise heard by people in the vicinity was "due to activation of the fire protection system".</p>.<p>Rejecting the claim that the operation of the power plant caused "an abnormal increase in heat, air, noise and light pollution" for the past seven to eight months, the KPCL said GAIL began supplying natural gas only on September 9 and the turbine operation started only in the third week of September. The burning of gas in the turbine has not taken place for more than a few days, it added.</p>.<p>Stating that Rs 2,025 crore has been spent on the project, the KPCL defended the environment clearance for the plant. "Puttenahalli Lake was notified as a Bird conservation reserve on 10/09/2015 only after the environment clearance was granted to the project (on 01/09/2014)," it said.</p>.<p>Regarding the claim that constructing such a plant near the lake requires clearance from the Union environment ministry, the affidavit said the plant is built in a "declared industrial area" and doesn't disturb the flow of water and "there will be no discharge" into lake. It further said that several steps have been taken to preserve the lake eco-system, including treating of the wastewater with reverse osmosis.</p>
