Indian High Commissioner Pankaj Saran on Wednesday said the 1320 MW Rampal coal-fired power plant will not be harmful to the Sundarbans as “supercritical technology” will be used in the plant. “Rampal plant will have no impact on the Sundarbans forest or its ecology. We hope the plant will come into operation by 2016-17,” he told reporters after a visit to the power plant site. A high-level Indian delegation, led by Indian Power Secretary PK Sinha, which arrived in the country on Tuesday to attend a meeting of the Joint Steering Committee (JSC) and joint working committee meeting on power sector, visited the Rampal site today. Prime Minister’s Advisor Dr Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury, State Minister for Power and Energy Nasrul Hamid and Prime Minister’s secretary Abul Kalam Azad accompanied the Indian delegation during the Rampal power plant visit. The Indian High Commissioner claimed that his country has got experience to develop coal-fired power plant with supercritical technology. Echoing him, Indian Power Secretary said: “We have a number of similar plants in India. Rampal plant is being built at the safe distance from the Sundarbans.” Supporting Indian delegate members’ statement, Prime Minister’s Advisor Tawfiq-eElahi Chowdhury said the plant will have a 300 metre chimney which is safe for environment. He said the coal required for the project will be brought covered to Akram point of the Bay of Bengal first and then this will be brought to the project site in the same way. So, the plant will not affect the environment of the Sundarbans, he said. Meanwhile, a working committee meeting of India and Bangladesh was held in Dhaka on Wednesday prior to the JSC scheduled for Thursday. Officials said during the JSC and working committee meetings, the two sides are expected to review the current status of cooperation in the power sector and further intensify efforts to expand such cooperation. Power Secretary Monowar Islam will lead the home side to the 7th JSC meeting which will be preceded by a meeting of the Joint Working Group. The 6th meeting was held in New Delhi on June 26-27, 2013. – UNB
