The about 60 ships having 80000 tons
The world isin a constant hunger for power and energy making power plants are highlynecessary. Bangladesh is a developing country and she needs power plants togenerate power for prospering further. Rampal power plant is such a proposedpower plant that will be coal-fired. India’s state owned company NTPC andBangladesh’s BPDB has proposed this project via BIFPC, a joint venture company.Should this project come true then this would be the largest power plant incountry.
This proposed power plant is acoal fired power station situated at Rampal Upazila of Bagerhat in Khulna. Itis said to be a 1320 mega watt capacity power plant covering an area of 1834acres of land and is only 14 kilometers away from the world’s largest mangroveforest Sunderbans which is a UNESCO world heritage site. Besides the plant willrequire about 4.72 million tons of coal every year needing about 60 shipshaving 80000 tons capacity going about 40 kms of path from port which included crossingriver flow path.
Moreover it would also draw about 220000 cubic meters of waterevery day from Poshur River and then discharge treated waste water back intothe river. A 1320 Megawatt power generatingpower plant is highly necessary in a developing country like Bangladesh.However this project raises several environmental concerns at the same time. Accordingto environmental impact assessment guidelines for power plants, it should be atleast 25 kms away from an area that is very ecologically sensitive. Since theproject is only 14 kms away, it violets the guideline for power plants near anecologically sensitive area.
Furthermore ships carrying coals will releasesmoke, fume, fly ash, coal dust, sulphur etc. toxic chemicals. As a result,carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, sulphur oxides causing acidrain that can be highly damaging for a mangrove forest. Again, dischargingwaste water into Poshur River will introduce pollutants in the river harmingmarine animals and beasts. Although having a power plant ofhigh capacity will be better for Bangladesh, destroying Sunderbans will destroyBangladesh because of its sheer positive effects on the country.
Should theenvironmental concerns be taken care of the power plant, plan should proceedsince the plant can be really beneficial.
