Dhaka – National Committee to Protect Sundarbans (NCPS) and Bangladeah Paribesh Andolon (BAPA) on Sunday renewed its call to the government to cancel the Rampal coal-fired power plant project for the sake of saving the Sundarbans. -UNB
“We do hope, the government will consider the demand for cancellation of Rampal project like suspension of the VAT law and reduction of excise duty on bank deposits showing respect to people,” Syed Abul Maksud, eminent writer and columnist, told a joint press conference organised by the two organisations at Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU).
Both the NCPS and BAPA have long been on a campaign against the 1320 MW Rampal project, jointly undertaken by Dhaka and New Delhi as joint venture scheme for power generation.
The two environmental groups believe the coal-fired project will cause serious damage to the flora and fauna of the world’s large mangrove forest.
The Sundarbans, enlisted by Unesco as a world heritage, is also seen as natural protection against storm in the southern coastal belt of the country.
Other leaders of the two organisations, including former caretaker government adviser Rasheda K Chowdhury, Dhaka University professors MM Akash and Syed Badrul Imam, among others, spoke on the occasion.
They organised the press conference to brief about the latest state of Rampal project and its impact on the eve of Unesco World Heritage Committee Meeting.
Abul Maksud said this is unfortunate that the government ignores the opinion of environmentalists while moving ahead with the Rampal project.
“They don’t think environmentalists are the souls of this soil,” he added.
