The clash came up today in Parliament, where environment minister Jairam Ramesh said the company had been asked to approach the National Environment Appellate Authority (NEAA) within seven days over objections raised by people of the area on ecological grounds.
Environmentalists have warned that the wetlands near the site of the proposed 2,640MW plant half a kilometre from Vaddithandra, the hamlet where the firing occurred about 700km from Hyderabad, were a breeding ground for several migratory birds, and the unit would destroy the region's ecology.
Congress MP V. Hanumantha Rao raised the matter with Ramesh in the Rajya Sabha. The ministry had issued a showcause to East Coast Power earlier over the project's location and other issues. Ramesh said another showcause would be sent asking the firm to respond to the objections even as the matter went to the NEAA, which has been set up to resolve disputes over environmental matters in projects. Read the full report here.
Source: Our Special Correspondent, The Telegraph, Hyderabad.
