The Environment Ministry would stop new port projects that fall under the high erosion zone in Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Goa once the ongoing satellite-based studies to determine high, medium and low erosion zones in the coastal areas of these states are out, said Jairam Ramesh, Union Minister for Environment and Forests.
Speaking to the media here on Monday, he said the studies would be completed by August this year. The minister pointed out that his ministry had already stopped Adani's Mundra port project and asked Posco to shift its proposed port project, both of which fall in the high erosion zone in Gujarat and Orissa respectively.
The ministry would enforce a complete ban on port projects in high erosion zones while asking the existing ports to take measures to counter erosion if they fall under the high erosion area.
The minister also reiterated his stand that the ministry would revise environmental clearances already issued to individual projects based on the cumulative environmental impact of the cluster of projects coming up in one place. Ramesh said his ministry had reset the minimum flow of water down the 400 Mw hydel project being proposed on Alaknanda river to 15 cumec from the previous 3 cumec based on a study just four days ago.
However, the minister put the onus of conducting cumulative environmental impact studies on the states while stating that his ministry would only assist such initiatives.
"Maharashtra has already undertaken a cumulative impact study in Ratnagiri district pertaining to Jaitapur where 33,000 Mw power projects have been proposed. The Andhra Pradesh chief minister has agreed to undertake similar studies in Srikakulam and Krishnapatnam where a large number of power projects have been given permission," he said.
The ministry is also conducting 'Hazard Line' studies across western and eastern coasts to determine if these areas are vulnerable to cyclone and other natural calamities.
He said he had also suggested state chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy to institute an independent monitoring committee for overseeing the implementation of the relief and rehabilitation package for the Polavaram irrigation project.
It is currently pending with the Centre for national status.
