KPCL plant fire: Environmentalists, residents bank on NGT to end 'fear'

A day after a fire at a gas-based power plant in Yelahanka rocked the neighbourhood, residents in the area said they are banking on the National Green Tribunal for justice.

The NGT is hearing two cases in this regard. Apart from the Yelahanka Puttenahalli Lake and Bird Conservation Trust, which moved against the grant of environment clearance by the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA), the Heritage Estate Apartment Owners Association have moved the tribunal, alleging environmental degradation and loss of biodiversity caused by the construction of the plant.

Residents of the apartment as well as the trust expressed concern over the fire incident in the plant that left two people in a critical condition and another 15 with injuries.

“No information is provided as to the construction and functioning of the power plant. People in the vicinity have been experiencing vibrations continuously and there is a frequent discharge of unknown froth from the power plant. This has already created a fear psychosis among the people staying in the vicinity.,” they stated.

Abdul Azeem Kalebudde, the advocate who is representing the two litigants in the NGT, told DH that people staying in the vicinity have been complaining to the authorities concerned about the vibrations and gas.

“Their requests have been continuously ignored. Friday’s incident shows the sensitivity of the matter. We will move the tribunal seeking an injunction against further construction activity,” he said.

He said the 370 MW power plant was given clearance as ‘Category B’ despite the fact that its location next to the Yelahanka-Puttenahalli Lake bird conservation reserve makes it ‘Category A’.

As per the provisions of the Environmental Impact Assessment notification, 2006, if a project falls within a 10-km radius of a protected area, so declared, under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, the Category B project would be deemed to be a Category A one that requires approval from the Union ministry.

“The government announced that the lake as a bird conservation reserve on April 29, 2015. The SEIAA gave clearance on September 1, 2015. Now they argue that the government notification was gazetted only on September 10. How can the environment authority go against the government announcement?” he said.

The NGT had ordered the constitution of a joint committee to report on the impact of the power plant on the lake and surrounding areas. Residents hope that the report of the committee will bring out the truth.