Power projects, involving investments of nearly Rs 50,000 crore, spread across three northern districts

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of Andhra Pradesh — Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Visakhapatnam — have come under watch by green activists after a Supreme Court order last week criticising the way environmental impact assessments are being done for various projects.

Green activists, led by former Union power secretary EAS Sarma, have moved the environment ministry to act against the power projects coming up in the wetlands of north Andhra Pradesh, which they claim are adversely affecting the environment and livelihood of local people.

These projects are being developed by Nagarjuna Construction (2,640MW), East Coast (2,640MW), Hinduja National Power Corporation (1,040MW), Alfa Infraprop (2,640MW) and NTPC (1,000MW). Green activists have alleged problems with the environment impact assessment (EIA) reports, which were done by consultants commissioned by the power developers.

“The reports ignored the wetlands, the migratory birds and the farmers and fishermen dependent on them. District officials made a farce of the public hearings and confirmed the EIA reports without any verification of the ground realities,” Sarma claimed.

In a letter addressed to the Union minister for environment and forests Jairam Ramesh, Sarma referred alleged irregularities in the projects at Sompeta and Kakarapalli. “You are aware that two more projects, one at Komarada in Vizianagaram district (of Alfa Infraprop) and another near Vizag (Hindujas) stand on a somewhat similar footing. The irregularities are glaring,” he claimed.

On a similar demand by environmentalists, the environment ministry February 28 halted work at a power project being developed by East Coast Energy at Kakarapalli in Srikakulam. The ministry’s decision followed violent protests by local farmers and fishermen, which led to the killing of two fishermen in police firings.

“There are no irregularities whatsoever in setting up of the project and several courts and committees had repeatedly dismissed the allegations levelled against us by green activists. We are in full compliance with the conditions laid down by the MoEF and the National Environment Appellate Authority,” said Tatineni Venkata Krishna, managing director of East Coast Energy.

In July, the environment ministry had suspended environmental clearance granted to a project of Nagarjuna Construction Company at Sompeta in Srikakulam district following the killing of three protesting farmers in police firings.

A spokesperson for Nagarjuna Construction Company said, “We had obtained all the environmental clearances only after thorough public hearings and began construction works. The matter is now before the EAC and we are optimistic that the environmental clearances, which were suspended by the ministry in July, will be restored, enabling us to resume work at the project.”

Hearing a case challenging the approval granted to French company Lafarge to mine limestone in Meghalaya, the Supreme Court on Friday observed that the environment ministry had been letting private companies pay a packet to their favourite experts to assess the environmental impacts of their projects and obtain approvals on their basis.